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The first purpose of this research was to understand the factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of women of color in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career fields, with a specific focus on understanding the issues faced by Black women. The second purpose was to analyze the gender and racial differences in the interrelationship of high school students' class perceptions, math identification, and their decisions to select a STEM major in college. These relationships are important because the growth outlook for careers in STEM is higher than other career fields and providing underrepresented women in STEM equal access to these careers is vital. Additionally, it is important to increase the gender and racial diversity of the STEM workforce. The first manuscript (Chapter 2) was based on a literature review that provided an overview of the social factors that affect the underrepresentation of women of color in STEM by highlighting the experiences of girls of color in their youth. The literature review explored the stereotypes and discrimination girls of color experienced in the K-12 school system that affect their participation in math and science, and how the intersection of race and gender contributed to the experiences of Black females when it comes to their experiences with STEM. Using the MUSIC model of motivation theory and domain identification theory, the study in Chapter 3 explored the relationship between students' math class perceptions, math identification, and decision to major in a math-intensive (i.e., math and statistics, engineering, computer science, and physical sciences) STEM major. The study in Chapter 3 used multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze gender and racial differences among four groups Black females, Black males, White females, and White males. The results indicate that students' math class perceptions of success and interest were positively related to their math identification. Furthermore, students' math identification was positively related to their decisions to select a STEM major as they entered college. The interrelationship between math class perceptions, math identification, and the decision to select a STEM major was not statistically different for Black females as compared to Black males, White females, or White males. Implications for schools and educators for increasing the participation of Black female students in STEM are discussed. / Doctor of Philosophy / The purposes of this research were to understand the factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of women of color in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and to analyze the gender and racial differences in the interrelationship of students' class perceptions, math identification, and decisions to select a STEM major. Because Black women are one of the least represented groups in careers associated with STEM, one of the aims of this research was to investigate some of the factors contributing to Black women's underrepresentation in STEM careers. The research was conducted in two parts. The first manuscript (Chapter 2) was based on a literature review that provided an overview of the social factors that affect the underrepresentation of women of color in STEM careers by highlighting their experiences in their youth. The literature review explored discrimination against girls of color in the K-12 school system, especially as it relates to math and science participation, and how the intersection of race and gender contributed to the experiences of Black females in STEM. The second manuscript (Chapter 3) used the MUSIC model of motivation theory and domain identification theory to analyze the relationship between students' math class perceptions, how well students see math as part of their identity (math identification), and decision to major in a math-intensive (math and statistics, engineering, computer science, and physical sciences) STEM major. I used a statistical method, structural equation modeling (SEM), to analyze gender and racial differences among four groups; Black females, Black males, White females, and White males. The math class perceptions of success and interest were found to be positively related to math identification. Students' math identification was found to be positively related to their decisions to select a STEM major. Black females did not show a difference from the other groups in the relationship between their math class perceptions, math identification, and decision to select a STEM major. Implications for schools and educators for increasing the participation of Black female students in STEM are discussed.

The present study evaluated a brief intervention targeting reduction of heavy drinking in college females. Within the context of this brief intervention outcome study Bandura’s (1986) model of self-regulation was tested. Seventy-six heavy drinking college females (minimum of four drinking occasions during past month with Blood Alcohol Concentration estimated at .08% or greater) participated in the intervention. Subjects participated in brief individual assessment sessions and all subjects were provided with drinking reduction information and strategies. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three goal-setting conditions (no goal; proximal drinking reduction goal, distal drinking reduction goal). Within each of these three goal conditions subjects were randomly assigned to receive feedback on their drinking behavior or to not receive drinking behavior feedback. Subjects were reassessed one month and two months later on measures of drinking behavior and self-regulation variables (commitment to not drinking heavily, efficacy for not drinking heavily and discrepancy/discomfort relative to drinking heavily). Contrary to hypotheses, goal-setting, the provision of feedback, or the combination of goal-setting and feedback was not superior to assessment and information in the reduction of heavy drinking. However, all conditions revealed a significant decrease in drinking across time. Although the self-regulation variables of efficacy and commitment related negatively to future drinking behavior in univariate correlational analyses, the interaction of the self-regulation variables (efficacy, commitment and discrepancy) failed to add to the prediction of future drinking beyond that accounted for by current drinking and the main effects of the self-regulation variables. The theoretically derived hypotheses were not supported by the present study. Procedural and theoretical limitations of self-regulation relative to reduction of heavy drinking in college females, as well as the difficulties involved in changing college student drinking given strong contextual influences are discussed. / Ph. D.

Selection strategies to increase productive traits of farm animals have been effective and highly specialized breeds and strains were obtained. At the same time, the effort made to obtain extremely high producing animals was accompanied by undesired effects, such as a reduced ability to sustain production, reproduction and health; especially under constrained conditions. The perception that selection was degrading robustness, lead to selection strategies aiming to improve the ability of animals to perform in a wider range of environmental constrain. However, at the present moment, the physiological mechanisms allowing farm animals to perform well in a wide range of environments, while others succumb, have not been described. The present thesis intended to address this question by describing the evolution of traits related to fitness, survival and to the adaptability to environmental constraints. Two maternal rabbit lines differing in their ability to face the environmental constraints, i.e. a `specialist¿ and a `generalist¿ maternal rabbit line were available. Additionally, two generations (20 generations apart) of the specialized line were simultaneously available. During the first two consecutive reproductive cycles, female rabbits were simultaneously subjected to three environmental conditions differing in the intensity and in the physiological constrain imposed. Digestive capacity, the acquisition of resources and the partitioning of resources into different function (i.e. litter size, milk yield, growth, body reserves, etc.) was also assessed. Results showed a greater acquisition capacity of `generalist¿ females in constrained conditions with respect to `specialist¿ females. Moreover, the greater acquisition capacity was not accompanied by a reduction in the digestive efficiency, allowing the `generalist¿ females a relative greater acquisition of digestible energy. The maintenance of reproductive performance by having a greater acquisition capacity, together with the avoidance of making an intensive use of body reserves were both related to the capacity of `generalist¿ females to sustain reproduction in a wide range of environmental conditions. Twenty generations of selection exclusively for reproduction (specialized line), was not accompanied by a higher acquisition capacity, but by a change in the relative priority between the litter being nursed (actual) and the litter being gestate (future litter). In this sense, females from the actual generation of selection for litter size at weaning had a greater milk yield in the first week of lactation (period of great importance to kits survival), reducing it by the end of lactation. The present thesis also evidenced the importance of the environment where the animals are being selected in the evolution of the interplay between competing functions. / Savietto, D. (2014). Environmental and genetic factors driving robustness in reproductive rabbit does [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/37198 / Premios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorales