Increasing Participation of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in STEM: a workshop focused on removing barriers to participation.; June 1 - June 2, 2016; Honolulu, HI

作为一个群体，太平洋岛民和夏威夷人在大学入学和STEM职业中都是代表性最不足的少数民族之一。该奖项将支持于2016年6月1日至2日在夏威夷大学（UH）召开的为期两天的研讨会，以回答两个关键问题：(1)夏威夷人和太平洋岛民的STEM培训和职业发展的主要障碍是什么；(2)如何减少这些障碍并增加参与？参加研讨会的将是来自休斯敦大学、夏威夷和太平洋中部其他两年制和四年制学院的教师、在指导太平洋岛民进入STEM学习和职业方面经验丰富的本科顾问，以及夏威夷大学最近取得STEM相关职业的毕业生。来自加州大学的两名专业人士在扩大教育多样性方面具有专长，他们将为STEM群体代表性不足提供背景。预计解决办法可能因岛屿集团之间的文化差异而有所不同，因此将给予充分的时间进行讨论，以揭示这种差异。在研讨会结束时，将汇集一份带注释的文件，总结为夏威夷人和太平洋岛民减少STEM教育和职业障碍的建议，并通过网站和专注于这些问题的期刊进行传播。预计该文件将对指导夏威夷和太平洋岛民从事STEM，特别是生物科学的教师有用。在STEM领域培训夏威夷和太平洋岛民将使他们能够积极参与设计解决岛民因气候变化而面临的许多问题的解决方案。拟议中的研讨会将为太平洋地区大学的一群教职员工提供关于学生在STEM职业中参与不足的原因的深入见解。研讨会的参与者将更好地了解如何克服大学入学障碍和在大学接受STEM培训。新的培训方法将增加在STEM领域受过良好培训的学生人数。希望这次研讨会能激励夏威夷和太平洋岛民教师实施更好的策略，让这群学生参与STEM职业。STEM培训将使太平洋岛民能够在涉及环境保护、渔业、农业和发展的机构中竞争当地就业机会。该项目由美国国家科学基金会生物科学理事会生物基础设施部支持。

As a group, Pacific Islanders and Hawaiians constitute one of the most significantly under-represented minorities in both college enrollment and STEM careers. This award will support a two-day workshop to be convened at the University of Hawaii (UH), on June 1-2, 2016, to answer two crucial questions: (1) what are the major barriers to STEM training and careers for Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders; and (2) what can be done to reduce these barriers and increase participation? Taking part in the workshop will be faculty from UH and other 2-year and 4-year-colleges in Hawaii and across the central Pacific Ocean, undergraduate advisors who are experienced in guiding Pacific Islanders into STEM studies and careers, and recent graduates of the University of Hawaii who have achieved STEM-relevant careers. Two professionals from the University of California with expertise in expanding diversity in education will provide a context for underrepresentation of groups in STEM. It is anticipated that solutions may differ because of cultural differences between island groups, so sufficient time will be given for discussions that reveal such differences. At the end of the workshop, an annotated document that summarizes recommendations for reducing barriers to STEM education and careers for Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders will be assembled for dissemination via websites and a journal focusing on such issues. It is anticipated that such document will be useful to faculty who mentor Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in STEM, specifically those in the biosciences.Training Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in STEM fields will allow them to actively engage in devising solutions to the many problems faced by the islanders due to climate change. The proposed workshop will provide a group of faculty and staff at colleges across the Pacific with deepened insights about the causes of under-participation of their students in STEM careers. Participants in the workshop will be better informed about how to overcome barriers to college attendance and STEM training at their colleges. New training approaches will increase the number of students well trained in STEM fields. It is hoped that this workshop will inspire Hawaiian and Pacific Islander faculty to implement better strategies for engaging this group of students in STEM careers. STEM training will allow Pacific Islanders to compete for local employment in agencies involved with environmental protection, fisheries, agriculture and development. This project is supported by the Division of Biological Infrastructure in the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences.