Expanding HBCU Participation at the National Association of Black Geoscientists Annual Technical Conference

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This award will support approximately 60 student to attend the Annual National Association of Black Geoscientists (NABG) conference. The meeting will take place September 6-9, 2017 in Atlanta, GA. Participants will be recruited from two dozen environmental science degree programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Students in these programs are historically under-represented at the NABG annual conference. Thus, the objective is to expand the disciplinary representation of NABG to include more people of color interested in environmental issues. Expanding NABG membership in environmental sciences will also significantly increase membership in NABG, enhancing the stability and long-term viability of the organization.A primary aim of this project is to engage faculty and students in HBCU environmental sciences programs and aid their participation in a national conference of importance to placing them in the 21st Century geosciences workforce. The project will provide support for key faculty in these programs and their students to attend the conference, develop a network of persons of color with whom they may interact going forward, and become active members in a vibrant minority-serving STEM organization. Students will also receive important instruction in development of non-technical competencies (also known as soft skills). "Soft skills" are defined as desirable life and employment skills crucial to workplace success and career progress. This project offers support for participating students from all academic levels to attend the pre-meeting "soft skills" workshop and opportunity to practice learned skills throughout the conference through interactions with professional attendees.