Experiences of Queer Science Major Undergraduate Students in Their Departments

This study explored how the feelings of comfort and safety of LGBTQ+ undergraduate science majors at a mid-size Midwestern university in their departments affected their academic success. The literature provides a number of studies about LGBTQ+ STEM faculty, campus climate studies for LGBTQ+ students, and microaggressions experienced by a variety of students and faculty from historically underrepresented groups. There is little literature directly connecting campus climate work to STEM departments and LGBTQ+ undergraduates. This work utilized a qualitative approach to explore the experiences of STEM majors who identified as LGBTQ+. A narrative approach to the research emphasized the voices of these marginalized students. Three participants participated in one interview per semester over two subsequent semesters for a total of six interviews, which were then coded using emergent themes. The most interesting findings were related to potential microaggressions experienced by the students, such as specific passive negative experiences or general negative feelings about expressing their identities. This study found that LGBTQ+ undergraduates in science departments may experience microaggressions because of their sexual orientation but lack the language to describe these situations in detail or identify them as harmful. This work highlights a need to examine and potentially improve science students' language tools to better identity and describe these experiences.