GP-IMPACT: Creating Pathways for Literacy, Undergraduate Majors and Careers in the Geosciences through Institutional Collaborations

GSTDTAP

项目编号	1911574
	GP-IMPACT: Creating Pathways for Literacy, Undergraduate Majors and Careers in the Geosciences through Institutional Collaborations
	Lisa Park Boush (Principal Investigator)
主持机构	University of Connecticut
项目开始年	2019
	2019-07-15
项目结束日期	2022-06-30
资助机构	US-NSF
项目类别	Standard Grant
项目经费	315761(USD)
国家	美国
语种	英语
英文摘要	Over the next several decades, Connecticut and New England will face increasing challenges caused by more frequent and stronger hurricanes, flooding and sea level rise, unsafe drinking water, and crumbling infrastructure. Geoscientists work at the intersection between these challenges and their data- driven solutions, increasing the need for geoscience literacy and a strong geoscience workforce. The project emphasizes the development and implementation of methods for broadening access to geoscience education, research opportunities, and career pathways in the State of Connecticut. The core of this project creates 4 pathways for entering the geoscience major at UConn, followed by strengthening the internship and career mentoring programs. The principal investigators will focus on pre-college to early college students, with the goal of enhancing student retention and career preparation. Specifically, they plan to 1) recruit majors at the pre-college through early college stage through four critical gateways: a UConn Early College Experience (ECE), the UConn pre-College Experience, UConn regional campuses, and community colleges throughout Connecticut. The UConn ECE program allows motivated high school students to take UConn courses at their high schools for simultaneous college- and high-school credit. The pre-college experience gives high school students the opportunity to enroll in a 1 week short-course at UConn prior to enrolling in college, thereby offering exposure to the discipline. The other two entry points into the geoscience major--community colleges and UConn regional campuses-- will be linked to the new Department of Geosciences through workshops and training opportunities for their faculty. 2) The researchers will develop new strategies to retain geoscience majors and prepare them for emerging career opportunities. Funds will support internships and externships at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Geological Society of Connecticut (GSC), local land trusts and environmental companies with strong ties to UConn geosciences, while simultaneously developing a career mentoring program for all undergraduate students. Within these new programs, the investigators will emphasize the increased involvement of under-represented groups. The end goals are to expand public awareness of geosciences in CT and strengthen a new Department of Geosciences at UConn. The broader impacts of this project are many, are infused throughout all activities, and are transportable as a model for other states and institutions. A large part of the activities will be workshops and trainings for 2 year and regional campus faculty, and support for pre-college students attending the summer program and undergraduate students doing internships. These outreach efforts will enhance the visibility of geosciences throughout the state. The network of partnerships and collaborations the team plans to create will provide support for undergraduates to be successful after graduation and will be a cornerstone in the educational program in a new department. The goals of UConn Geopaths are to develop programs at various academic levels to provide pathways into and through the geosciences. Specifically, the project will 1) create an Early College Experience (ECE) course for high schools in Connecticut; 2) create a pre-college summer experience for pre-baccalaureate students interested in the geosciences; 3) build bridges and better integration between UConn regional campuses, 2 year colleges and the UConn Storrs main campus; 4) develop an undergraduate internship program at UConn with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and other entities; and 5) develop a career mentoring program at the University of Connecticut to prepare students for their post-baccalaureate futures. The principal investigators plan to engage UConn's successful statewide Early College Experience (ECE) program to pilot an introductory geoscience course at two high schools, and recruit teachers for ECE courses in other school districts, particularly those in Hartford and Bridgeport, where minority populations are high. The researchers will partner with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at UConn to facilitate teacher recruitment and assess activities related to this project. The team will link programs at UConn's four regional campuses and the state's 2 year colleges with the main campus at Storrs to feature geoscience for underrepresented groups. The researchers will create a field-based Pre-college experience for high school students to expose them to geoscience in outdoor settings. Finally, the principal investigators will enlarge the nascent undergraduate internship program via partnerships with DEEP, consulting firms, entities like land trusts, and the Geological Society of Connecticut, which will enhance their post-graduation success. A mentoring program will be established to assist students in navigating the pathway towards a rewarding geoscience career. These initiatives will be sustainable, measurable, and transportable. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
文献类型	项目
条目标识符	http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/213619
专题	环境与发展全球科技态势
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Lisa Park Boush .GP-IMPACT: Creating Pathways for Literacy, Undergraduate Majors and Careers in the Geosciences through Institutional Collaborations.2019.