Collaborative Proposal: Building and Maintaining a Pipeline for Diversity: A Track 2 Proposal

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Track 2: Collaborative Proposal: Building and Maintaining a Pipeline for Diversity This four-year program builds upon committed partnering by The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and Jackson State University, with collaborative support from SECME, Inc. and Upward Bound Math and Science. This program provides longitudinal opportunities, training, mentoring and support for students from underrepresented groups so that they are successful in geosciences. Programs conducted in Pennsylvania and Mississippi are integrated to recruit and retain students of color. Ongoing formative and summative assessment activities conducted throughout the entire project allow adjustments in style and content to be made as necessary. Project activities include multiyear research and classroom opportunities for pre-college students. College minority students receive summer research internships through an existing program managed by the Committee on Institutional Cooperation. In addition, the first-degree program in Earth System Science at an HBCU (Jackson State) is being developed through this award. Courses implemented by the project team include (a) four courses integrating the study of scientific issues in Africa, (b) a mineralogy-petrology laboratory course, and (c) an upper-division Environmental Literacy course for pre-service teachers. As part of their professional training, Jackson State students will be given top priority for enrolling in the field geophysics course sponsored by AfricaArray. Students who complete the new Jackson State degree program, participate in summer internships, and are admitted to PSU graduate programs will be guaranteed full financial support as part of an institutional match provided for the project. Faculty members at Jackson State are participating in mini-sabbaticals at Penn State, ensuring the long-term success of research and pedagogic collaborations established under this project. Research equipment purchased for Jackson State enables continued growth and success of the new degree program.