Latina Success
Embracing Latina Learners’ Assets in STEM
Researching STEM, Resilience and More
The Embracing Latina Learners’ Assets in STEM (ELLAS) research lab led by Associate Professor Elsa Gonzalez at the College of Education & Human Development at Texas A&M University focuses on issues in higher education such as access, resilience, retention, and graduation among underrepresented students, particularly Latine students in STEM fields. Gonzalez’s ELLAS research team is dedicated to the investigation of underrepresented groups (with a focus on Latinas) in STEM and the role of resilience.
Project Spotlight
Resilience Experiences and Strategies of Latina STEM Majors in Hispanic Serving Institutions
Lab director Elsa Gonzalez served as principal investigator of a $1.26 million CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to identify factors that promoted and hindered the success of Latina STEM majors at Hispanic-serving institutions, including Texas A&M University, University of Houston, and Texas A&M – Corpus Christi. The study guided the development of evidence-based mentoring strategies and interventions that supported resilience, persistence, and graduation of Latina STEM majors across the nation.
“With the growing population of Hispanics in the country, we really need to be concerned about supporting those students who wanteto pursue a career in STEM,” Gonzalez said. “We need to help them become successful in the workforce because they are fundamental for the economic and social development of our country.” The work was led by Gonzalez’s research team (ELLAS).
Under-representation in STEM
of STEM workers in the U.S. are women1
of all STEM workers are Latine, Black, and Indigenous peoples1
of all STEM bachelor’s degree graduates are Latinas2
of all STEM doctoral degree graduates are Latinas3
Sources:
News & Media
The Meaning of ‘Servingness’ and Latine Student Success in STEM
Dr. Gonzalez delivers the opening message of the 2022 Fall Speaker Series, before introducing astronaut and engineer José M. Hernández. Hernández is known as the first migrant farmworker to travel to space.
Contact Us
elsa@tamu.edu