Increasing Diversity and Enhancing Academia (IDEA): Leveraging Resources to Increase Participation of Underrepresented Minority Students in Geosciences

北卡罗来纳州环境研究所(IE)与北卡罗来纳州通过教育创造机会联盟(OPT-ED)合作，正在进行一项为期五年的多管齐下的努力，大幅增加北卡罗来纳州代表不足的少数族裔(URM)学生对地球科学研究和教育的参与。不断增加的多样性和加强学术(IDEA)伙伴关系正在扩大现有的NC OPT-ED网络，增加了一个地球科学研究重点，并将该计划扩展到伊丽莎白城市州立大学(ECSU)，这是北卡罗来纳州东部的一所历史悠久的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)。NSF资助的OPT-ED项目是北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校(UNC-CH)、北卡罗来纳州立大学(NCSU)和北卡罗来纳农业与农业技术大学(NC A&A；T)的正式联盟，鼓励URM学生攻读博士学位，并支持URM学生的其他教育计划。拟议的项目正在使用以地点为基础的方法，让来自北卡罗来纳州东部的少数族裔学生了解和解决他们所在地区面临的地球科学问题，重点是流域水文学、沿海海洋过程、土地利用变化和发展中的气候变化之间的联系。IDEA项目的目标是：为URM高中生实施实践和思考地球科学活动，以鼓励他们的教育更上一层楼；招收和准备本科生攻读地球科学硕士和博士学位；并在暑期和学年为本科生提供高质量的地球科学研究经验。这些目标是通过一系列项目活动实现的，其中包括为高中生举办的暑期科学充实计划；为中学生举办的周六大学预科学院；为中学生和大专学生举办的联盟日，提供专业发展研讨会；为本科生提供学年和暑期研究体验；以及为本科生举办的其他专业发展和网络活动。该项目包括为学生提供经济支持的资源，培养关键技能，帮助学生更好地为攻读高级学位做好准备，并由大学教职员工和合作机构的管理人员提供重要指导。

The UNC Institute for the Environment (IE), in partnership with the North Carolina Alliance to Create Opportunity Through Education (OPT-ED), is engaged in a multi-pronged, five-year effort to increase substantially the participation of underrepresented minority (URM) students in geoscience research and education in North Carolina. The Increasing Diversity and Enhancing Academia (IDEA) partnership is expanding the existing NC OPT-ED network by adding a geoscience research focus and extending the program to Elizabeth City State University (ECSU), an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in eastern North Carolina. The NSF-funded OPT-ED program is a formal alliance of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), North Carolina State University (NCSU), and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University (NC A&T) that encourages URM students to pursue doctorates and supports other education programming for URM students. The proposed project is using place-based approaches to engage minority students from eastern North Carolina in understanding and solving geoscience problems facing their region, with an emphasis on the linkages between watershed hydrology, coastal marine processes, land use change and developing climate change. The IDEA project objectives are to: implement hands-on and minds-on geosciences activities for URM high school students to encourage their education to the next level; recruit and prepare undergraduates to pursue MS and PhD degrees in the geosciences; and, provide high quality geosciences research experiences for undergraduate students in the summer and academic year. These goals are being achieved through a combination of project activities that include summer science enrichment programs for high school students; a Saturday pre-college academy for secondary school students; an alliance day for secondary and post-secondary students that provides professional development workshops; academic year and summer research experiences for undergraduates; and other professional development and networking events for undergraduate students. The project includes resources to support students financially, develops critical skills that help students be better prepared for pursuing advanced degrees, and provides significant mentoring by university faculty and administrators at the partner institutions.