Track 1: Increasing Diversity In Geosciences: The Urban Community College/Research University Partnership

该计划致力于解决吸引人数不足的学生进入地球科学的必要性，以便为未来保持强大的国家劳动力队伍。通过塔兰特社区学院(TCCD)和研究型大学德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校(UTA)的合作，正在招收20名代表性不足的学生，并为从社区学院成功过渡到研究型大学做准备，以完成地球科学学士学位。这些学生被安排在教师和同行导师的指导计划中，他们定期与学生见面，审查进展情况。学生将在头两年成功参加地质学、化学、生物、数学和物理的入门课程，并参加暑期项目，该项目包括第一年结束时的实地考察经验和第二年结束时与UTA教职员工的研究经验。作为研究经验的一部分，还包括一门专业发展和批判性思维课程。该项目由一个由PI主持的执行委员会监督，该执行委员会由教师导师、共同PI和来自达拉斯-沃斯堡地区专业地球科学界的代表组成。项目评估的依据是：1)招收至少20名代表不足的学生的能力；2)在修读要求很高的课程的同时保留的百分比；3)TCD获得理科副学士学位的百分比；4)在地球科学学士学位项目中转到研究型大学的学生的百分比。如果被证明是成功的，这种伙伴关系可以作为其他城市地区社区学院和研究型大学合作的典范。

This program is addressing the necessity of attracting under-represented students to the geosciences in order to maintain a robust national workforce for the future. Through collaboration between Tarrant County College District (TCCD), a community college, and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), a research university, 20 under-represented students are being recruited and prepared for successful transition from a community college to a research university in order to complete a B.S. degree in the Geosciences. The students are being placed in a mentoring program with faculty and peer mentors who meet with the students regularly to review progress. Students are expected to successfully take introductory courses in geology, chemistry, biology, math and physics during their first two years, and take part in a summer program that consists of a field trip experience at the end of their first year and research experience with UTA faculty at the end of their second year. A course in Professional Development and Critical Thinking is included as part of the research experience. The project is being overseen by a PI-chaired Executive Committee that consists of faculty mentors, the Co-PI's, and representatives from the professional geoscience community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Project evaluation is based on: 1) the ability to recruit at least 20 under-represented students, 2) the percentage retained while taking demanding courses, 3) the percentage at TCCD receiving an Associates of Science Degree, and 4) the percentage of students transferring to a research university in a geoscience B.S. program. If shown to be successful, this partnership can serve as a model for collaborating community colleges and research universities in other urban areas.