FACTORS THAT FEMALE HIGHER EDUCATION FACULTY IN SELECT SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) FIELDS PERCEIVE AS BEING INFLUENTIAL TO THEIR SUCCESS AND PERSISTENCE IN THEIR CHOSEN PROFESSIONS

This is a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of Doctor of Philosophy degree from Old Dominion University. The study sought to discover factors female higher education faculty in select science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields perceived as influential to their success and persistence in their chosen professions. Females are underrepresented in STEM professions including academia, despite the fact that female educational attainment in all fields have increased significantly.