Fostering Scientist Identity Development and Compatibility in an Undergraduate Research Experience Program

Undergraduate research experience programs can provide students with significant opportunities to engage in research and further develop scientist identities. Grounded in theoretical frames of identity compatibility, interactionist approach, and intersectionality we present findings from an undergraduate research experience program intentionally designed to promote the development of a student's scientist identity while welcoming other personal and social identities. Student participants engaged in a reflection activity up to three times over the course of their 2 years in the program. The analysis of their essays revealed students brought with them many personal and social identities to the program and they found ways to make their scientist identity co-exist with their other identities that felt right for them, despite starting the program with feelings of incompatibility. Unlike previous research, how our participants incorporated scientist identity with their other identities suggested qualitatively different selves that included scientist identities. Lastly, participants recognized the importance of the program, university, and greater research community contexts in their identity development. We discuss connections with other identity integration constructs and suggest implications for research and undergraduate research experience programs.