GP-EXTRA: Connecting Links to Ocean Science and Earth Science Graduate Academic Programs (CLOSES-GAP)

海洋科学和地球科学研究生学术课程合作链接（closed - gap）为两所历史上的黑人学院和一所校园多样性最高的机构（2015年由《美国新闻与世界报道》确定）的本科生提供了一条途径，让他们参与地球科学的学术桥梁项目。根据NSES 2015年的统计数据，西班牙裔、非洲裔美国人、美国印第安人或阿拉斯加原住民在所有STEM领域的比例都不成比例。然而，地球科学领域的代表性是所有被调查学科中最低的。close - gap是马里兰大学东岸分校、特拉华州立大学、纽瓦克罗格斯大学和一所研究型大学（新罕布什尔大学）之间的全面合作伙伴关系，旨在加强招募代表性不足的学生进入地球科学专业的机制。在协调一致的情况下，项目元素允许close - gap学生参与者建立研究生课程入学和成功的重要技能。此外，通过该项目，参与机构将加强合作工作关系，共同参与持续的研究和学生指导活动。close - gap是一个综合项目，由几个相互关联的组件组成，提供一系列支持和机会。具体来说，学生将在大三时被招募，并在接下来的夏天和整个大四期间接受研究培训和指导。主办方将解决GEOPATHS计划的两个主要优先事项：1)为生物海洋学或其他相关非地球科学专业的学生提供探索物理海洋学和近岸地球科学研究机会的机会；2)为参与者提供基础地球科学研究和科学交流的基本技能。其目标是为close - gap研究员提供经验，让他们深入了解海洋地球科学研究选择的多样性，并提供利用UNH世界级海洋测绘设施和人员的研究机会，包括位于新罕布什尔州海岸6英里外的浅滩海洋实验室的住宅设施。额外的迷你课程，由项目团队推动或创建，将指导研究员的研究技能，研究生入学和奖学金申请。学生将在大三之后的夏天进入该项目，并在接下来的学年中得到他们所在机构和UNH的顾问的支持。他们的参与最终将在国家或区域科学会议上展示他们的工作。对暑期研究营来说，同样重要的是导师的专业知识和对研究员家庭机构的熟悉所带来的舒适感。在参加联合国大学研究营之前和之后，参与者将完成基本研究技能的在线迷你课程，如统计分析，以及经常被忽视的能力，如数据管理和学术/研究伦理。我们还将侧重于在每个参与者群体中建立一个“研究社区”，突出当代地球科学和海洋科学领域跨学科研究小组的重要性。在研究营结束后，他们回到自己的机构，重点将转向数据分析，并通过一系列媒体（从传统的专业会议和出版物到社交媒体）向各种受众传达他们的发现。该项目的核心是为参与者提供全面的支持，将独特的研究机会与UNH及其所在机构的高度支持指导相结合。close - gap项目将加强四所机构之间的联盟，并将从代表性不足的群体中招募30名本科生参加一个项目，重点是为研究生院做准备，并最终从事地球科学方面的职业。在整个联盟中，该项目还将提高地球科学学院及其所属院系和机构的能力，为非多数受众量身定制招聘方法，并支持代表性不足的学生成功申请研究生课程。除了这些直接和直接的影响之外，close - gap小组还将通过传统的学术手段（出版物和会议报告）以及通过为未来的伙伴关系创建指导性资源向更大的地球科学界传播他们的发现。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Collaborative Links to Ocean Science and Earth Science Graduate Academic Programs (CLOSES-GAP) provides a pathway for undergraduate students at two Historically Black Colleges and Universities and an institution with the highest campus diversity (as identified in 2015 by U.S. News and World Report) to engage in an academic bridge program in the geosciences. According to the NSES 2015 statistics, Hispanics, African Americans, and American Indians or Alaska Natives are disproportionately represented in all STEM fields. The representation in geoscience fields, however, is the lowest of all surveyed disciplines. CLOSES-GAP is a comprehensive partnership between University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Delaware State University and Rutgers University Newark and a research university (University of New Hampshire) to enhance mechanisms to recruit under-represented students into the geosciences. Taken in concert, program elements allow CLOSES-GAP student participants to build skills important for graduate program matriculation and success. Additionally through this project the participating institutions will strengthen collaborative working relationships for engaging together in sustained research and student mentoring activities.CLOSES-GAP is a comprehensive program consisting of several interconnected components that offer a suite of supports and opportunities. Specifically, students will be recruited during their junior year and receive research training and mentoring during the following summer and throughout their senior year. The organizers will address two major priorities of the GEOPATHS program by 1) offering students in biological oceanography, or other related non-geoscience programs, opportunities to explore research opportunities available in physical oceanography and near-shore geoscience; and 2) providing participants with foundational skills in basic geoscience research and science communication skills. The goal will be to provide CLOSES-GAP fellows with experiences that give insight into the diversity of research options in marine geosciences, and to provide research opportunities that leverage UNH's world-class ocean mapping facilities and personnel, including the residential facility at the Shoals Marine Laboratory, 6 miles off the coast of New Hampshire. Additional mini-courses, facilitated or created by the project team, will coach fellows on research skills, graduate admission and fellowship applications. Students will enter the program in the summer following their junior year, and be supported through the following academic year by pairs of advisors at both their home institution and UNH. Their participation will culminate in presenting their work at a national or regional science conference. Equally important to the summer research camp are the mentoring expertise and comfort that comes with familiarity of the fellows' home institutions. Before and after attending the UNH research camp, participants will complete online mini-courses in basic research skills such as statistical analysis, as well as often overlooked competencies such as data management and academic/research ethics. We will also focus on developing a "research community" in each participant cohort, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary research groups in contemporary geosciences and marine sciences. Upon returning to their home institutions after the research camp, the focus will shift to data analysis and communicating their findings to a variety of audiences, in a range of media - from traditional professional conferences and publications to social media. At the core of the program is a holistic approach to participant support that combines unique research opportunities with highly-supportive mentoring at both UNH and their home institution. The CLOSES-GAP program will strengthen an alliance between four institutions and will recruit 30 undergraduates from underrepresented groups to participate in a program focused on preparation for graduate school and, ultimately, careers in the geosciences. Across the alliance, this program will also improve the capacity of geoscience faculty, and their respective departmental and institutional affiliations, to tailor recruitment approaches to non-majority audiences, and to support underrepresented students in successfully applying to graduate programs. In addition to these direct and immediate impacts, the CLOSES-GAP team will disseminate their findings to the larger geoscience community through traditional, academic means (publication and conference presentation), as well as through the creation of guiding resources for future partnerships.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.