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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This exploratory study looks at the underrepresentation of certain groups, especially women, in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations. Using longitudinal data, it investigates the impact of math and technical abilities as well as social status measures such as sex, race/ethnicity and household income on STEM career choice, arguing that social status variables have an important influence apart from abilities, with an emphasis on gender. Results show significant impacts of sex, race/ethnicity, income and both math and technical skills on STEM career choice; however, only sex, math and technical skill have statistically significant impacts when controlling for all other variables, with technical skill having the strongest impact in all tests. Implications of these findings are discussed, confirming previous studies but also setting the groundwork for inclusion of technical skill in research on STEM areas. Future efforts are argued to focus on technical ability, as well as gender and mathematical adroitness.

Over 42% of students re-entering education in the United States are age 24 or older (NCES, 2002). Community colleges offer financial, academic, and geographic accessibility making them a viable option for adults seeking to re-enter education (Cohen & Brawer, 1996). The purpose of this study was to learn more about the life transitions that precipitate entry into a community college. The researcher also sought to bring insights about the experiences of being an adult student returning to education at a community college. Research participants included 24 adult re-entry students and recent graduates at Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Through indepth interviews, the personal experiences of the life transitions that prompted college entrance and the experience of being enrolled in college were explored. Qualitative research techniques were used in this study. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed. The findings derived from the data analysis were presented thematically as they addressed the research questions. The findings revealed that participants returned to education because of job-related concerns (typically a layoff or company's closing) or an issue of timing (a feeling that it was "time" to return). Re-entry students faced barriers that were both institutional and personal as they navigated the educational process. Participants reported that financial, geographic, and academic accessibility of the college made it a resource in itself. Finally, participants suggested implementing a specialized, adult, student-focused orientation course, on-site daycare services, and campus activities supportive of needs of students returning to the academic world. Recommendations included a quantitative study involving a survey with a larger sample of adult re-entry students. The data could provide a richer examination of the similarities and differences among the re-entry college population. Recommendations for practice included an orientation class specifically designed to attract and meet the needs of adult re-entry students at the community college level; the establishment of a comprehensive, developmentally-based childcare service located on the college campus; and initial and follow-up contacts by a counselor designated as an adult, re-entry student contact and resource person in the student services division.

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This study examines the identity work strategies that men students in nursing, elementary education, and social work programs employ in order to manage and assert their masculinity in the face of negative gender assessment, as well as the identity work involved in verifying their professional identities. It also examines the perceived benefits and disadvantages that men experience as numerical minorities in their fields of study. Interviews with 12 men students majoring in these disciplines reveal that while men do perceive disadvantages as men in these educational spheres, they believe that the advantages and benefits they enjoy in the form of special treatment, recognition, and access to opportunity far outweigh them. A key perceived disadvantage is the ongoing challenges they face to their social identity as men and their role identity as rising professionals. These men employ identifiable identity work strategies for doing masculinity; some of which have implications for gender equality in the educational setting, as well as in on-site training (i.e., workplace) settings as well. This study contributes to an understanding of how men verify contradictory identities, and how gender shapes, privileges, and constrains their lives. In addition, it builds on extant literature focusing on men's experiences in higher education as they prepare for careers in gender-nontraditional occupations. / Ph. D.

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中國自1993年後成為石油淨進口國，而伴隨經濟持續的高度成長，石油消費亦逐年增長，中國面臨威脅未來發展的資源短缺危機。而隨著國力的崛起，中國領導人、企業紛紛走向世界，融入國際體系，其中以中國石油產業的擴張最受矚目。本文擬從國家現實主義為出發點，探討中國在面臨石油安全威脅之際，所展現出的石油外交戰略與意圖，將全球產油區分為四大中國正進行佈局的戰略區，包括中東與北非、中亞和俄羅斯、東南亞與南海、南北美等四區，探討中國官方與企業的外交與商業作為，從中分析其在各區域及整體所面臨挑戰，進而研判中國石油外交未來發展方向。 / China has become an oil net importer since 1993. Because China’s economic growth is leaping continuously, its oil consumption has increased year by year. China’s development in the future is threatened by resources shortage as China rises, Chinese leaders and enterprises make efforts to integrate into international community. The expansion of Chinese oil industries especially draws the world’s attention. Based on national realism, this paper will discuss how China implements oil diplomacy and oil strategy to cope with its oil security threat by dividing main oil producing areas in the world into four regions, include Mideast and North Africa, central Asia and Russia, South Asia and South China Sea. Judging from the government’s diplomacy and the enterprises’ business activities, I will analyze challenges facing in each area and as a whole to find out the trend of China’s oil diplomacy in the future.