GP-EXTRA: Bridge and Earth Science Training (BEST) Program

GP-EXTRA：桥梁和地球科学培训（BEST）计划

• 批准号: 1700851
• 负责人: Jonathan Price
• 金额: $ 39.89万
• 依托单位: Midwestern State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-09-01 至 2021-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1700851&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: GP; EXTRA; Bridge; Earth; Science

Non technical:The BEST (Bridge and Earth Science Training) program is a new high school bridge program between North Texas high schools and Midwestern State University (MSU) that acts a conduit to educate students, teachers and parents about the opportunities for geoscience careers. Each summer, a cohesive long-term cohort of high school juniors will begin an inquiry based geoscience camp at MSU. The BEST camp will focus on developing the relationship between the student and local industry professionals, and learning how real geologists apply scientific concepts to their careers. Field trips to active workplaces and laboratories will reinforce this link and provide additional exposure to the role of geoscientists in the real world. Each member of the cohort will participate in a research project on water quality and environmental parameters in conjunction with the Red River Authority (RRA) and Texas Stream Team (TST). The students will learn to take measurements from industry professionals, and their data will contribute to an ongoing research collaboration between MSU, RRA, and TST. Each member of the cohort will be provided with an invitation to attend MSU as a geosciences major, and they will have the opportunity to continue their research as a part of their undergraduate experience. More than 143,000 geoscientists are expected to retire in the next 10 years, and our project aims to train sufficient professionals to meet the demand in energy and hydrology workers across the United States. This project will allow students to explore new opportunities by working with professional geoscientists and engage with career-relevant, field-based research that will allow them to build a successful career. By generating career-relevant experiences in geoscience education, the BEST program works towards providing a brighter future for Earth-related fields that promote clean air and water, secure our energy future, and promote public understanding of science.Technical:The BEST Program will establish a multi-year research collaboration among academia, industry, and government employees, which will engage geoscience professionals in the training of future geoscientists. The first component of the BEST Program is an inquiry-based residential geoscience camp each summer. A cohesive, long-term cohort of high school juniors and seniors will learn how geoscientists apply scientific concepts to real-world problems. Each participant in the camp will be trained by scientists from the local Red River Authority (RRA) and the Texas Stream Team (TST) to participate in the TST water quality monitoring program using protocols established by the Texas Council on Environmental Quality. BEST students will investigate and test hypotheses related to the relative contribution of various forcings such as variation in rainfall severity, extended dry or seasonal changes, and rates of change of key water parameters to overall water quality in the Red River watershed. During this 7-10 day experience, the BEST Program will focus on developing the relationship between the student, MSU geoscience faculty, local geoscience professionals, and current MSU students who will serve as BEST Camp counselors. Field trips to workplaces and laboratories reinforce this link and provide additional exposure to the role of geoscientists in the real world. Cohort members will be invited to attend MSU as geosciences majors, where they continue their research and engage in geoscience data gathering and analysis activities, present to and meet with professionals involved in similar work, and share their experiences with other students. Through this collaboration, students? research will inform policy makers as they make decisions related to land use, water use, or permitting, which will impact residents in the Holliday Creek and Red River Watersheds. The BEST Program will also test the IUSE Geopaths Program's Theory of Change, which is that novel, authentic, career-relevant geoscience experiences will increase the students? desire to pursue degrees and geo-related careers.

非技术：BEST（桥梁和地球科学培训）项目是北德克萨斯州高中和中西部州立大学（MSU）之间的一个新的高中桥梁项目，作为一个管道，教育学生、教师和家长关于地球科学职业的机会。每年夏天，一群有凝聚力的高中三年级学生将在密歇根州立大学开始一个基于探究的地球科学夏令营。BEST夏令营将重点发展学生与当地行业专业人士之间的关系，并学习真正的地质学家如何将科学概念应用于他们的职业生涯。实地考察工作场所和实验室将加强这种联系，并提供更多的机会了解地球科学家在现实世界中的作用。该小组的每个成员都将与红河管理局（RRA）和德克萨斯溪流小组（TST）一起参加一个关于水质和环境参数的研究项目。学生们将从行业专业人士那里学习测量，他们的数据将有助于密歇根州立大学、RRA和TST之间正在进行的研究合作。每个学生都将被邀请到密歇根州立大学学习地球科学专业，他们将有机会继续他们的研究，作为他们本科经历的一部分。预计未来10年将有超过14.3万名地球科学家退休，我们的项目旨在培养足够的专业人才，以满足美国各地能源和水文工作者的需求。该项目将使学生通过与专业地球科学家合作，探索新的机会，并参与与职业相关的实地研究，这将使他们能够建立一个成功的职业生涯。通过培养与地球科学教育相关的职业经验，BEST项目致力于为地球相关领域提供更光明的未来，促进清洁的空气和水，确保我们的能源未来，并促进公众对科学的理解。技术方面：BEST计划将在学术界、工业界和政府雇员之间建立一个多年的研究合作关系，这将使地球科学专业人员参与未来地球科学家的培训。BEST项目的第一个组成部分是每年夏天以探询为基础的住宿地球科学营地。一个有凝聚力的，长期的高中生和高中生队列将学习地球科学家如何将科学概念应用于现实世界的问题。营地的每个参与者都将接受来自当地红河管理局（RRA）和德克萨斯河流小组（TST）的科学家的培训，使用德克萨斯环境质量委员会制定的协议参与TST水质监测项目。BEST的学生将调查和测试与各种作用力相关的假设，如降雨强度的变化、干旱或季节的延长变化，以及关键水参数对红河流域整体水质的变化率。在这7-10天的体验中，BEST项目将重点发展学生、密歇根州立大学地球科学教师、当地地球科学专业人员和密歇根州立大学现任学生之间的关系，这些学生将担任BEST营地顾问。到工作场所和实验室的实地考察加强了这种联系，并提供了更多的机会了解地球科学家在现实世界中的作用。项目成员将作为地球科学专业的学生被邀请到密歇根州立大学继续他们的研究，并参与地球科学数据收集和分析活动，向从事类似工作的专业人士介绍并与他们会面，并与其他学生分享他们的经验。通过这次合作，学生们？研究将为政策制定者提供信息，因为他们做出有关土地使用、用水或许可的决定，这将影响到霍利迪溪和红河流域的居民。BEST项目还将测试IUSE地球病理学家项目的变化理论，即新颖、真实、与职业相关的地球科学经验将增加学生的能力。渴望攻读学位和地理相关的职业。