Enhancing Interest in Water Resource Careers via Summer Field Experiences

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This proposal seeks to couple the expertise of the Sustainability of Semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA) center and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM) to address the issue of increasing the numbers of under-represented high school students in summer environmental science camps or research experiences. These camps include the Arizona Rivers program, which seeks to develop student riparian monitoring skills and environmental stewardship, and Earth Camp, which provides hands-on environmental research experiences to help youth appreciate how science can be used beneficially. In collaboration with up to 20 other organizations in the state of Arizona, the PIs are establishing mechanisms to: 1) discuss common issues and practices among a wide range of local geoscience-related outreach programs; 2) build new networks for collaboration among partners; 3) develop new recruitment pathways and support structures; 4) leverage existing funding and pursue additional funding for student and teacher participant support; and 5) explore connections with local geoscience employers in the public and private sectors. Potential partners in the alliance include the University of Arizona's Early Academic Outreach program, the Bio5 BioME outreach program, the Arizona Science Center and the Environmental Education Outreach Program at NAU. Shared recruitment efforts and co-developed mentoring strategies are expected to minimize competition between individual programs and yield cost-savings.