Our Ocean: Enhancing Minority Education in the Marine Sciences at a Caribbean HBCU

该项目由维尔京群岛大学（UVI）的海洋科学教师进行，UVI是一所以本科生为主的历史悠久的黑人大学，校区位于圣托马斯岛和圣克罗伊岛。该项目利用了紫外线大学的优势——加勒比海和大西洋的热带海洋环境，高学术标准，以及为少数民族本科生准备科学研究生学习的良好记录。该项目与其他项目协同工作，包括NSF历史黑人学院和大学本科项目合作协议（HRD-9979896），以解决维尔京群岛居民进入海洋科学所面临的教育、经济和文化障碍。该项目通过减少进入和保留海洋科学的教育、经济和文化障碍，增加了维尔京群岛少数民族进入本科和研究生层次的海洋科学的人数。支持这一目标的具体活动包括：通过为期六周的校园夏季丰富活动，增强少数民族高中生对海洋科学的兴趣和准备；通过每年向维尔京群岛少数民族学生提供一项为期3年的4年学费奖学金，增加弗吉尼亚大学海洋生物学学士课程的入学率和保留率；通过支持三年每学期有导师指导的本科生研究项目，加强为海洋科学学士学位后学习和/或职业生涯做准备；并制定计划，以提高对海洋领域的认识和兴趣。

ABSTRACTOur Ocean: Enhancing Minority Education in the Marine Sciences at a Caribbean HBCUThe project is conducted by faculty in the Marine Sciences at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), a predominantly undergraduate, Historically Black university with campuses on the islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix. The project takes advantage of the strengths of UVI-the accessible tropical marine environment of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, high academic standards, and a strong track record of preparing minority undergraduates for postgraduate study in the sciences. The program works synergistically with other programs, including an NSF Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program cooperative agreement (HRD-9979896) to address the education, economic, and cultural barriers to entry into the marine sciences that Virgin Islanders face. This project increases the number of minority Virgin Islanders entering into the marine sciences at the undergraduate and graduate levels by reducing educational, economic, and cultural barriers to entry and retention. Specific activities supporting this goal include: enhancing the interest and preparation in the marine sciences of minority high school students through a six-week, on-campus summer enrichment activity; increasing enrollment and retention in UVI's Marine Biology BS curriculum by providing one new 4-year tuition scholarship to a minority Virgin Island student each year for 3 years; strengthening preparation for post-baccalaureate study and/or careers in marine sciences by supporting mentored undergraduate research projects per semester for three years; and developing programs to increase awareness and interest in marine fields.