GP-IMPACT: Pathways TO RENEW: Tropical Oceanography Research Experiences for the NExt-Generation Workforce

I非技术研究机会和专业发展是让本科生参与科学的有效途径，并增加他们留在大学并在四年内毕业的可能性。 虽然研究型大学可能会为本科生提供这样的机会，但非研究型学院和大学为学生提供科学项目的能力通常有限。为了满足这一需求，我们建议建立一个教育中心，为波多黎各两个非研究机构的学生提供服务。通过该中心，我们将学生与研究人员谁将指导他们在波多黎各进行研究？的沿海泻湖。西班牙裔学生将在夏季和学年期间参与各种活动，重点是地球科学的体验式学习。学生将获得研究经验，并通过网络，实习和前往国家会议接触海洋科学专业人士。学生还将参加地球科学专业发展活动（如个人陈述写作，科学交流，口头报告等）。该中心将促进研究和非研究机构以及政府和非营利机构之间的伙伴关系，这些机构有兴趣建立一个以波多黎各为重点的可持续和有效的教育中心。的沿海泻湖。该项目包括来自美国大陆和波多黎各的科学家和教育工作者组成的一个多元化的跨学科小组。该团队和中心致力于为代表性不足和服务不足的学生增加海洋科学学习机会。二技术在努力缩小机会差距，并提高在主要非研究性学院和大学的代表性不足的群体的STEM保留，我们将建立热带海洋学研究培训本科学术（TORTUGA）中心介绍早期-通过先进阶段的本科生从波多黎各到地球科学教育和研究。该中心将连接研究和非研究机构，以加强研究能力，并建立教育计划，向STEM领域的本科生教授研究技能。TORTUGA中心的具体目标是：1）建立可持续的多学科教育和体验式学习计划，重点是沿海科学问题和解决方案; 2）增加代表性不足的学生获得流域，沿海和海洋科学教育; 3）发展体制结构，以帮助学生在关键的教育路口，增加学生在STEM领域的保留，并鼓励追求地球科学事业;（4）调整这一模式并加强其长期可持续性。为此，我们将：1）加强和扩大现有的跨机构的合作伙伴关系和团队科学研究计划，我们已经通过一系列的试点项目在过去五年中开发; 2）在少数民族服务机构提供研究机会在波多黎各沿海和流域地球科学研究;和3）根据我们的计划目标和当前的教育教学法研究评估和评估我们的教育实践模式。该项目的预期成果是一套最佳做法，以增加主要为代表性不足的群体服务的非研究机构的STEM保留率，主要集中在波多黎各和西班牙裔人口，但适用于广泛的本科生经验。

I Non-TechnicalResearch opportunities and professional development are effective ways to engage undergraduate students in science and increase the likelihood that they will stay in college and graduate in four years. While research universities are likely to offer such opportunities to undergraduate students, non-research colleges and universities usually have limited ability to provide science projects for their students. To address this need, we propose to develop an educational center that will serve students at two non-research institutions in Puerto Rico. Through the center we will link students with researchers who will guide them in conducting research in Puerto Rico?s coastal lagoons. Hispanic students will be involved in a variety of activities during the summer and academic year focusing on experiential learning in the geosciences. Students will gain research experience and exposure to marine science professionals through networking, internships, and travel to national meetings. The students will also participate in geosciences professional development activities (e.g. personal statement writing, science communication, oral presentations, etc.). The center will foster partnerships among research and non-research institutions and government and non-profit institutions interested in building a sustainable and effective education center focused on Puerto Rico?s coastal lagoons. The project includes a diverse interdisciplinary team of scientists and educators from both the mainland United States and Puerto Rico. The team and center are committed to increasing marine science learning opportunities for underrepresented and underserved students. II TechnicalIn an effort to close the opportunity gap and enhance STEM retention for underrepresented groups at primarily non-research colleges and universities, we will establish the Tropical Oceanography Research Training for Undergraduate Academics (TORTUGA) Center to introduce early- through advanced-stage undergraduate students from Puerto Rico to geoscience education and research. This center will link research and non-research institutions to strengthen research capacity and establish educational programs to teach research skills to undergraduates in STEM fields. Specific goals of the TORTUGA Center are to: 1) build sustainable multidisciplinary education and experiential learning programs focused on coastal science problems and solutions; 2) increase access for underrepresented students to watershed, coastal, and marine science education; 3) develop institutional structures to assist students at critical educational junctures, increase student retention in STEM fields, and encourage pursuit of geoscience careers; and 4) adapt this model and strengthen its long-term sustainability. To do this we will: 1) strengthen and expand existing cross-institutional partnerships and team science research programs we have developed over the past five years through a series of pilot projects; 2) provide research opportunities at minority-serving institutions in Puerto Rico for coastal and watershed geoscience research; and 3) evaluate and assess our educational practice model in light of our program goals and current educational pedagogy research. An anticipated outcome of this project is a set of best practices for increasing STEM retention in primarily non-research institutions serving underrepresented groups, focused largely on Puerto Rican and Hispanic populations but applicable to a broad spectrum of undergraduate experiences.