The Problematic Pipeline: Demographic Trends and Latino Participation in Graduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Programs

Overview & Synopsis

This article addresses Latino population growth in the United States and their participation in higher education, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs. The demographic and educational trends outlined here suggest that although the Latino population will continue to grow very rapidly, the participation in higher education by Latino students and faculty will not keep pace. The projected increase of school-age Latinos will increase the pool of students at the K-12 end of the educational pipeline; however, without effective interventions, the higher education end of this pipeline will remain narrow, and only a small number of Latinos with graduate degrees will be produced. (Contains 15 tables and 4 figures.)