Collaborative Research: GP-EXTRA: Broadening Geosciences Preparedness through Cross-Campus Experiential Partnership

圣玛丽山？S大学是一所受地球科学限制的机构，通过其IUSE GEOPATHS-Extra计划，解决了学术界和工业界对地球科学领域多样性的需求。密歇根州立大学S与南加州大学(南加州大学)的合作为女性、代表性不足、低收入、主要是第一代大学生扩大了环境和地球科学的机会。利用南加州大学及其位于卡塔利纳岛的箭牌海洋科学中心的STEM能力，该项目将在MSMU早期水平的本科生中引起更大的学术兴趣和对地球科学和环境领域的认识。它还将为参与者提供在这些领域的高级学位课程和职业生涯中取得成功所需的学术和现场经验。未被充分代表的少数族裔大学生进入STEM领域的专业的比率与其他学生相似，但毕业率更低(National Academy，2011)。密歇根州立大学S GEOPATHS项目为女性、少数民族、低收入、主要是第一代大学生提供本科实践研究体验，在入门课程中主动学习，并成为STEM学习社区的成员，旨在提高人们对科学的兴趣，改善学生的成绩。GEOPATHS项目将在密歇根州立大学招收早期本科生，以获得全年催化体验，其目的是：1)通过南加州大学S海洋研究站的项目学习，向参与者介绍海洋学和环境科学领域；2)在教职员工的指导下进行实地/实验室研究；3)为后续参与国家项目和南加州大学高级课程建立专业知识和信心；以及4)让学生了解地球科学研究生院和劳动力的机会。同时，该项目将强化密歇根州立大学S的目标，即为学生开发环境科学轨道，在南加州大学和密歇根大学地球科学项目之间开展跨校园实践，并拓宽南加州大学S正在进行的吸引不同人群进入STEM研究生课程的举措。通过这些活动，该项目打算对现有的关于培养和留住地学专业和职业道路中代表性不足的学生的战略作出重大贡献。技术研究表明，STEM研究生方案和STEM教员中缺乏种族和族裔多样性。特别是，地球科学被认为是各级高等教育中所有STEM领域中多样性最低的(国家科学和工程统计中心，2015年)。2010年，美国20%的S学士学位授予少数族裔，而S等人授予的地学学士学位不到7%(斯托克斯等，2014年)。这些统计数据突出表明，需要创造性地投资于以证据为基础的和产生证据的战略，以扩大获得地球科学的机会，并改善任职人数不足的群体的留存情况。圣玛丽山？S大学？S(MSMU)地理信息系统-Extra项目将为加利福尼亚州洛杉矶的未被充分代表的、主要是第一代女大学生扩大环境和地球科学机会。这将通过MSMU和南加州大学(USC)之间可持续、可扩展的伙伴关系来实现。南加州大学是一所大型的R1大学，MSMU是一所少数族裔服务的2年/4年制女子学校。该项目将利用南加州大学S强大的STEM能力，让MSMU的学生参与地球科学课外活动，并将评估这些战略在吸引和留住STEM专业和职业道路上的地学有限机构的学生方面的成功。该计划将每年招收14名密歇根州立大学的学生，直接影响到总共42名学生--主要是生物科学专业的学生，优先考虑第一代和代表性不足的学生。在密歇根州立大学和南加州大学的校园规划将作为脚手架，扩展密歇根州立大学STEM入门课程，提供多样化的教学方法，并强调1)早期研究经验，2)主动学习，3)STEM学习社区的成员资格。该计划将为学生提供催化经验，以：1)通过在南加州大学海洋站-瑞格利海洋科学中心进行基于项目的学习，介绍海洋学和环境科学领域；2)在南加州大学和密歇根州立大学教职员工和研究人员的指导下进行实地/实验室研究；3)为后续参与国家项目和南加州大学高级课程建立专业知识和信心；以及4)向学生介绍地球科学研究生院和劳动力机会。评估将通过以下方式为知识库做出贡献：1)记录项目活动对STEM课程和专业学生留存的有效性；2)加强少数群体STEM的认同感；3)促进同行和专业网络；4)将MSMU的STEM入门课程与外部地球科学研究机会和南加州大学的高级课程联系起来；5)加强学生的准备，并提高他们对地球科学研究生项目和职业的兴趣。此外，其更广泛的贡献将是一个正式的、可扩展的和可复制的跨机构伙伴关系模式，旨在改善学生的成果，增加对地球科学职业和研究生学习的兴趣和成功。

Non TechnicalMount Saint Mary?s University (MSMU), a geoscience-limited institution, addresses the need for diversity in geoscience fields, both in academia and in industry, through its IUSE GEOPATHS-EXTRA program. MSMU?s partnership with the University of Southern California (USC) expands environmental and geoscience opportunities for female, underrepresented, low-income, predominantly first-generation college students. Leveraging the STEM capacity of USC and its Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island, the project will generate greater academic interest and awareness among early-level MSMU undergraduates in geoscience and environmental fields. It will also provide participants with the academic and field experience necessary to succeed in advanced degree programs and careers in these fields.Underrepresented minority university students enter majors in STEM fields at a similar rate to other students, but completion rates are lower (National Academies, 2011). MSMU?s GEOPATHS program provides female, minority, low-income, predominantly first-generation college students with undergraduate hands-on research experiences, active learning in introductory courses, and membership in a STEM learning community aimed at increasing interest in the sciences and improving student outcomes. The GEOPATHS program will recruit early undergraduates at MSMU for year-round catalytic experiences designed to: 1) introduce participants to oceanography and environmental science fields through project-based learning at USC?s marine research station on Catalina Island, 2) conduct field/laboratory studies mentored by faculty and researchers, 3) build expertise and confidence for subsequent participation in national programs and advanced USC courses not available at MSMU, and 4) inform students about geoscience graduate school and workforce opportunities. At the same time, the program will fortify MSMU?s goals to develop an environmental science track for students, develop cross-campus practices between USC and MSMU geoscience programs, and broaden USC?s ongoing initiatives to attract diverse populations into STEM graduate programs. Through these activities, the project intends to contribute significantly to the existing body of knowledge concerning strategies for entraining and retaining underrepresented students in geosciences majors and career paths.TechnicalResearch indicates a lack of racial and ethnic diversity in graduate STEM programs and among STEM faculty. In particular, the geosciences are cited as having the lowest diversity of all the STEM fields at all levels of higher education (National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, 2015). In 2010, while 20% of all U.S. bachelor?s degrees were awarded to underrepresented minorities, fewer than 7% of geoscience bachelor?s degrees were awarded to the same groups (Stokes et al., 2014). These statistics highlight the need for creative investments in evidence-based and evidence-generating strategies to broaden geoscience access and improve retention among underrepresented groups. Mount Saint Mary?s University?s (MSMU) GEOPATHS-EXTRA program will expand environmental and geoscience opportunities for underrepresented and predominantly first-generation female college students in Los Angeles, California. This will be accomplished via a sustainable, scalable partnership between MSMU?a minority-serving geosciences-limited 2-year/4-year women's institution?and the University of Southern California (USC)?a large R1 university.The project will leverage USC?s significant STEM capacity to engage MSMU students in geoscience extracurricular activities, and will evaluate the success of such strategies for entraining and retaining students from a geoscience-limited institution in STEM majors and career paths. The program will enroll 14 MSMU students per annual cohort, directly impacting a total of 42 students?predominately Biological Sciences majors, with priority to first-generation and underrepresented students. Programming at MSMU and USC campuses will be scaffolded to extend MSMU introductory STEM coursework, providing diversified teaching methods and emphasizing 1) early research experiences, 2) active learning, and 3) membership in STEM learning communities. The program will provide students with catalytic experiences to: 1) introduce oceanography and environmental science fields through project based learning at USC's marine station, the Wrigley Marine Science Center ; 2) conduct field/laboratory studies mentored by USC and MSMU faculty and researchers; 3) build expertise and confidence for subsequent participation in national programs and advanced USC courses not available at MSMU; and 4) inform students about geoscience graduate school and workforce opportunities. Assessments will contribute to the knowledge base by 1) documenting the efficacy of project activities on student retention in STEM courses and majors; 2) reinforcing minority STEM identities; 3) promoting peer and professional networks; 4) bridging MSMU's introductory STEM curriculum with external geoscience research opportunities and upper-division USC courses; and 5) enhancing student preparedness and increasing interest in geoscience graduate programs and careers.MSMU?s GEOPATHS program aims to increase the number and diversity of geoscience-prepared and engaged undergraduates. Furthermore, its broader contribution will be a formalized, scalable and replicable cross-institutional partnership model designed to improve student outcomes and increase interest and success in geoscience careers and graduate study.