Resilience and Adaptation in Environmental and Natural Sciences: RA'ENS and S-STEM

通过这个S-STEM项目，阿拉斯加大学费尔班克斯分校的PI团队正在增加获得环境和自然科学学士学位的有学术天赋、有经济需求的学生的数量。学生群体由28名已在大学就读的高年级本科生组成，他们从五所支线社区学院以及伊利萨格维克部落学院转学。该项目的目标是通过将奖学金学生融入阿拉斯加可持续发展研究和教育社区来留住他们。项目内容包括(A)全面的招聘战略，(B)强有力的指导方案，(C)职业和交流讲习班，以及(D)补充课程和早期研究参与。认识到该地区需要培养具有环境科学背景的学生，并认识到参与与解决公民问题有关的研究对美洲原住民和阿拉斯加原住民学生具有强烈的吸引力，项目小组为复原力和适应(可持续性)跨学科证书设计了一门严格的、30学分的课程，鼓励参与者完成。为了扩大参与，积极招募美洲原住民和阿拉斯加原住民学生。这个项目有两个重要的方面将产生广泛的影响。首先，通过评估和评估产生的数据预计将支持这样的基本原理，即通过与基于社区的研究和公民参与相联系的综合学术计划，可以实现STEM领域学生的高留存率。进行形成性评估是为了检查是否招募了不同的学生群体，并使其具备(A)保持目标GPA(3.0或更高)、(B)在适当水平上表现技能、(C)毕业于STEM学位的能力。总结性评估是根据学生学习成果评估、学生论文和毕业后数据，确定是否实现了在选定领域增加准备充分的学生数量的项目目标。第二，项目成果的传播预计将为在招收和留住STEM学生方面实施基于社区的做法提供一个模式。项目组计划在关于STEM教学和学习的全国会议上以及通过国家科学和公民参与中心介绍他们的工作。项目交付成果包括总结性评价结果以及为复原力和适应证书编写的课程材料。

Through this S-STEM project the PI team at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is increasing the number of academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn baccalaureate degrees in environmental and natural sciences. The student cohort is comprised of 28 upper level undergraduates who are already at the university and transfer students from the five feeder community colleges as well as from Ilisagvik Tribal College. The goal of the project is to retain the scholarship students by integrating them into the Alaskan community of sustainability research and education. Project elements include (a) a comprehensive recruitment strategy, (b) a strong mentoring program, (c) career and communication workshops, and (d) supplementary courses and early research involvement. Acknowledging the regional need to prepare students who have backgrounds in environmental science and that participation in research related to solving civic problems has a strong appeal for Native American and Native Alaskan students, the project team has designed a rigorous, 30- credit hour curriculum for an interdisciplinary Certificate in Resilience and Adaptation (sustainability) which participants are encouraged to complete. In order to broaden participation, Native American and Native Alaskan students are recruited actively.There are two important ways in which this project will have broad impact. First, data generated through assessment and evaluation is expected to support the rationale that high retention of students in STEM fields can be achieved through a comprehensive academic program linked to community-based research and civic engagement. Formative evaluation is carried out to examine whether or not a diverse group of students is recruited and equipped to (a) maintain the target GPA (3.0 or higher), (b) perform skills at the appropriate level, (c) graduate with a STEM degree. Summative evaluation is to ascertain whether or not the project goal to increase the number of well-prepared students in the selected fields is accomplished based on the Student Assessment of Learning Gains, student essays, and post-graduation data. Secondly, dissemination of the project results is expected to provide a model for implementation of community-based practices in recruitment and retention of STEM students. The project team plans to present their work at the national meetings on STEM teaching and learning as well as through the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement. Project deliverables include results of summative evaluation and the course materials developed for the Certificate in Resilience and Adaptation.