GP-EXTRA: TU GEO Careers (Towson University Geoscience Educational Opportunities for Careers)

到2022年，美国预计将短缺约135，000名地球科学家，这意味着必须增加地球科学专业的招聘和保留，并改善劳动力或研究生院的准备。该项目通过三种机制增加本科生地球科学专业的招聘：1）通过与区域高中和社区学院的合作伙伴关系，2）通过增加实践，积极学习实践的使用，通过介绍地球科学课程，3）通过改善对地球科学职业机会的宣传，包括K-12级的教学。该项目通过以下方式提高保留率：1）在计划层面提供学术咨询，以减少障碍并促进学习社区，2）发展同行网络，3）建立陶森大学（TU）地球科学学生与更广泛的地球科学社区之间的联系。从事教师指导研究的本科生群体作为TU地球科学项目的核心得到加强和发展。队列经验作为一个主要的工具，招募，然后留住学生的地球科学专业。本科研究经验已被证明可以提高学术成果，对研究生院的兴趣以及从事科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）相关职业的学生比例。进入地球科学职业的学生数量和多样性的增加将有助于满足美国经济对劳动力的需求。该项目建立在现有的招聘，学生参与和专业发展的最佳实践方法的基础上，以增加进入地球科学职业的学生的数量和多样性。来自TU和合作2年制社区学院（2 YCs）和高中的教师正在共同努力，宣传地球科学专业和就业机会，以增加对TU地球科学专业的招聘。TU和2 YC教师也在寻求建立转入TU地球科学专业的转学途径，因为目前42%的TU学生作为转学生进入。对这些方法的结果进行评价，是为了增进对拓宽从2 YC转到四年制院校的地球科学学生的渠道的方法的认识，并为从事这些过渡工作的其他机构提供信息。学生体验的定性研究提供了哪些最佳实践方法最有效以及为什么最有效的见解。这个项目将有助于学生课外地球科学研究经验的相对薄弱的文献。到项目结束时，至少有18名学生将通过研究组群直接受到影响。 此外，通过实地考察，每学年将有数十名学生受益，通过招生工作和地球科学入门课程的教学改革，每年将有500名学生受益。为转学学生提供从2 YCs到TU的平滑途径将减少学生在大学的时间和他们所承担的财务成本，包括学生在地球空间科学中追求二级教学认证。在TU地球科学计划的代表性不足的群体参与将通过招聘从2 YCs与少数民族学生的比例高于TU，并通过队列计划的选择过程中，将考虑到多样性和学习成绩增加。

The predicted shortage of ~135,000 geoscientists in the US by the year 2022 means that it is essential to increase recruitment and retention of geoscience majors as well as improve preparation for the workforce or graduate school. This project is increasing undergraduate geoscience major recruitment through three mechanisms: 1) through partnerships with regional high schools and community colleges, and 2) through introductory geoscience classes by increased use of hands-on, active learning practices, and 3) through improved publicity about geoscience career opportunities, including teaching at the K-12 level. This project is improving retention through 1) academic advising at a program level to reduce barriers and foster learning communities, 2) developing peer networks, and 3) building of connections between Towson University (TU) geoscience students and the broader geosciences community. Cohorts of undergraduates engaged in faculty-mentored research serve as a core around which the geoscience programs at TU are being strengthened and grown. The cohort experience serves as a major tool to recruit and then retain students to geoscience majors. Undergraduate research experiences have been demonstrated to improve academic outcomes, interest in graduate school, and the percentage of students working in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-related careers. An increase in the number and diversity of students entering geoscience careers will help meet workforce demands for the U.S. economy. This project builds on existing best-practice methods for recruitment, student engagement, and professional development to increase the number and diversity of students entering geoscience careers. Faculty from TU and partnering 2-year community colleges (2YCs) and high schools are working together to publicize geoscience majors and career opportunities to increase recruiting into TU geoscience majors. TU and 2YC faculty also are seeking to establish transfer pathways into TU geoscience majors, since 42% of current incoming TU students enter as transfer students. Evaluation of the results of these approaches is advancing knowledge of methods to broaden pipelines for geoscience students transferring from 2YCs to four-year institutions and serves to inform other institutions working on these transitions. Qualitative research of student experiences offers insights into which best-practice methods are most effective and why. This project will contribute to the relatively thin literature on extracurricular geoscience research experiences for students. By the end of the project, at least 18 students will be affected directly through the research cohorts. In addition, tens of students per academic year will be reached through the field trips and 500 students per year will be reached through recruiting efforts and pedagogical reform of introductory geoscience courses. Smoothing pathways from 2YCs to TU for transfer students will reduce the time students spend in college and the financial costs they incur, including students pursuing secondary teaching certification in Earth-Space Science. Underrepresented group participation in TU geoscience programs will be increased through recruitment from 2YCs with a higher percentage of minority students than TU and through the selection process of the cohort program, where consideration will be given to diversity and academic performance.