Wicked Problems: Graduate Students’ Experiences in A Convergent Research Environment

Abstract This exploratory study examined the experiences, expectancy value, academic identity, sense of impostorism, and social networks of graduate students in a large convergence science research center established with the goal of increasing phosphorus sustainability. There were two components to the study: a survey that explored expectancy value factors pre and post to the academic year and a social network analysis to examine student social networks pre and post to the academic year. Participants included 25 students in the treatment group (who participated in convergence research), and 28 students in a control group (who participated in traditional research). The social network analyses showed the convergence research students moved into more integrated social networks with increased connections to faculty and students across different Center institutions. The results of the survey found there was a drop in overall expectancy value scores for graduate research for the treatment group students. The survey results showed no significant differences in the treatment and control group students for impostorism on the survey. Students in both groups reported there were times when they felt unprepared for the classes; however, the treatment group students were more likely to describe having to take classes or study topics that were outside of their discipline and experienced difficulties with their research.