“Everyone Was Nice…But I Was Still Left Out”: An Interview Study About Deaf Interns’ Research Experiences in STEM

Abstract

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate research experiences improve success, persistence, and promote a feeling of belonging to a community. Like their hearing peers, deaf STEM majors often participate in undergraduate research experiences. However, deaf students typically interact with hearing faculty lacking experience with deaf students and awareness of Deaf culture, which unintentionally impacts their research experiences. This interview study sought to understand deaf students’ research experiences and their relationships with hearing mentors. Findings indicate that lack of awareness of Deaf culture and lack of communication access impact students’ experiences. We make recommendations on improving deaf students’ research experiences.