Impacts of Gender, Engineering, and Role Models on High School Students’ Overall STEM Interest and Perceptions of Engineering

This study explores the impact of gender, engineering experiences, and role models on high school students’ overall STEM interests and perceptions of engineering. A survey with Likert-scale and open-ended questions was given to 96 high school students (51 female, 45 male; 83% African American, 8% white, and 8% other races) in grades 9–12. We developed a scale measuring STEM interest, mathematical problem-solving confidence, misconceptions about engineering, perceptions of STEM, and self-efficacy. The STEM Dimension Survey (SDS) has a strong Cronbach alpha (= 0.96) and inter-coder agreement (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.77). ANOVA analysis on open response categories and the survey indicates that gender had a relatively small but statistically significant effect on STEM interest, with female students reporting slightly lower interest levels than male students. Students with prior engineering-related experiences demonstrated significantly higher STEM interest and more positive perceptions of engineering, but did not differ in self-efficacy or misconceptions. Notably, 63% of students reported no role model in STEM, and these students consistently reported lower interest, confidence, and self-efficacy. In contrast, those who identified role models reported significantly more positive STEM outcomes across all dimensions. The findings highlight the importance of recognizing students’ lived experiences and their definitions of engineering rather than relying solely on adult-defined narratives. Engineering-related experiences and role model presence are strongly linked to students’ interest and confidence in STEM.