A focus group study of DEI climate and needs in an engineering department at a STEM-focused Research I institution

In the spring 2022 semester, we designed and held a focus group study with members of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics (BEAM) at Virginia Tech. The study was primarily carried out by five undergraduate student members of the BEAM department, who were enrolled in a generic upper level Undergraduate Research course and received course credit and letter grades for their work on the project. After we obtained IRB approval, focus groups were held on Zoom with undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty members. The focus groups were intended to assess departmental members' needs and current levels of satisfaction with matters related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The focus group transcripts were analyzed using the qualitative methods software Dedoose. Here, we describe the study's aims, design, methods, and timeline. We also offer possible future directions for building on such a study.