GP-EXTRA: Freshman Research in Biogeochemistry for Engagement and Retention

招收、聘用和留住STEM学科的本科生，包括地球科学和附属领域，是美国高校面临的主要教育挑战。作为宾厄姆顿大学新生研究沉浸式(FRI)项目的一部分，一个由地质学、生物学和环境研究学科的五名科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教员组成的团队正在利用生物地球化学这一多学科领域，让大学一年级的学生参与适用于地球科学职业生涯的研究。生物地球化学研究生物、地质和化学过程之间的相互联系。现代和古代的湖泊和海洋沉积物、大气、流域和湿地为生物地球化学研究提供了野外场地和样品。生物地球化学研究包括三门课程：1)秋季学期的研究方法课程，2)春季学期的分析技术培训，3)第二年秋季完成研究项目。在春季和秋季之间的夏季期间，将为FRI的一些学生提供资金，让他们参与研究项目的实际操作、户外和实地活动。这种方法允许学生开发包含和评估季节性成分的项目，这些成分对于理解许多生物地球化学过程至关重要。作为外展计划的一部分，高中教育工作者和他们的几名学生参加了一个暑期研讨会，在那里他们通过与Fri的学生、教职员工直接互动来了解Fri的机会。反过来，FRI的学生和他们的成就被用来制定一项外展计划，其中包括访问高中和社区大学。因此，该计划致力于增加接受地球科学培训的学生的数量和多样性，从而满足STEM学科的关键国家需求。新生研究沉浸式(FRI)计划每年支持25-30名生物地球化学学生。生物地球化学经验始于一门研究方法课程，该课程强调定量推理、科学交流和长达一学期的文献回顾，以确定生物地球化学的研究主题。在春季学期的前半部分，学生学习适用于生物地球化学研究的分析技术；到春季的后半学期，他们开始他们的研究项目。在二年级的秋季，学生们有整整一个第二学期的时间来继续他们的研究项目。生物地球化学有一个专门的实验室，配备了研究设备，以及一名受过博士培训的研究教育者，负责监督学生、研究生助教和本科生同行导师。FRI计划的特点是多个组成部分的组合。一个拥有成熟研究项目的教职员工团队设计并监督新生的研究主题。研究主题明确涉及地球科学的核心概念和核心技能。参与研究的新生建立电子档案袋，记录他们的研究经验和对科学过程的理解，这些都是他们在大学期间建立的基础。学生们选择了一系列强调团队合作的课程，从而为本科生提供了如何在研究团队中工作的明确培训。这些学生接触到跨学科研究(IDR)，并参与了多个发展IDR技能的机会。生物地球化学研究项目产生的副产品研究模块正在融入其他课程；因此，最终将在常规科学课程中提供真实的研究经验，有助于提高对科学的参与度、学习和保持能力。本科生的研究活动预计将导致学生成为演讲和同行评议文章的共同作者。评估活动正在记录FRI计划为考虑从事地球科学职业的本科生提供的阶梯式、多导师研究经验的影响。

Recruiting, engaging, and retaining undergraduate students in STEM disciplines, including geoscience and affiliated fields, is a major educational challenge in the nation's colleges and universities. As part of Binghamton University's Freshman Research Immersion (FRI) program, a team of five science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) faculty across the geology, biology and environmental studies disciplines are using the multi- disciplinary field of biogeochemistry to engage students early in their college years in research applicable to geoscience careers. Biogeochemistry investigates the interconnection of biological, geological, and chemical processes. Modern and ancient lake and ocean sediments, the atmosphere, watersheds and wetlands provide field sites and samples for the biogeochemistry research. The biogeochemistry research stream consists of a three course sequence: 1) a research methods course during the fall semester, 2) followed by training in analytical techniques during the spring semester that 3) culminates in completion of a research project the following fall. Funding is being provided for some of the FRI students to engage in hands-on, outdoor, field based components of their research projects during the summer between the spring and fall. This approach allows students to develop projects that incorporate and evaluate seasonality components critical to the understanding of many biogeochemical processes. As a part of the outreach program, high school educators and several of their students participate in a summer workshop where they learn about FRI opportunities through direct interaction with the FRI students, faculty and staff. In turn, the FRI students and their achievements are being used to develop an outreach program that includes visits to high schools and community colleges. Consequently, this program is working to increase the numbers and diversity of students trained in Geosciences, thus meeting a crucial national need within a STEM discipline.The Freshman Research Immersion (FRI) program is supporting a cohort of 25-30 Biogeochemistry students each year. The biogeochemistry experience begins with a research methods course that emphasizes quantitative reasoning, scientific communication and a semester-long literature review to identify research topics in biogeochemistry. The first half of the spring semester, students learn analytical techniques applicable to biogeochemistry research; by the second half of the spring, they begin their research project. In the fall of sophomore year, students have an entire second semester to continue working on their research project. The biogeochemistry stream has a dedicated laboratory equipped for research, and a PhD-trained research educator who oversees the students, graduate teaching assistant and undergraduate peer mentors. The FRI program features a combination of the multiple components. A team of faculty members with well-established research programs designs and oversees the freshman research themes. The research themes explicitly address core concepts and core skills of the geosciences. The participating freshmen develop electronic-portfolios documenting their research experiences and understanding of the process of science, which they build upon throughout their college years. Students take a sequence of courses that emphasize teamwork, thus provides explicit training to undergraduates on how to work in research teams. The students are exposed to interdisciplinary research (IDR) and engage in multiple opportunities to develop IDR skills. The biogeochemistry research projects generate spin-off research modules that are being infused into other courses; as a result, authentic research experiences eventually will be provided in regular science courses, contributing to improved engagement, learning and retention in the sciences. The undergraduates' research activities are expected to result in students being co-authors of presentations and peer-reviewed articles. Assessment activities are documenting the impacts of the stepped, multi-mentored research experience of the FRI program for undergraduates considering a career in geosciences.