GP EXTRA: GETUP- Geoscience Education Targeting Underrepresented Populations

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This project will assess the effectiveness of multifaceted pathways to increase recruitment, engagement, and ultimately graduation rates and career placement of Earth Science majors, focusing on underrepresented Latinx and female groups at Weber State University. The pathways integrate varying combinations of early outreach to high school students, university courses taught in collaboration with local high schools, a summer bridge between high school and university classes, community engaged learning, early introduction to undergraduate research, and support of student cohorts through degree completion. Two different cohorts of students will be recruited each year of the project, cohort 1 from classes taught in local high schools who receive early intervention in preparing for college and participate in the summer bridge program, and cohort 2 from general education classes taught on campus. Both cohorts will then follow a similar pathway of courses, conduct summer research, and receive mentoring from teachers and classmates. By comparing retention rates, changes in student attitudes, and professional socialization for the different pathways, we will assess what combinations of activities and timing best prepare students for geoscience careers. This project will help address the projected shortfall in geoscience workforce nationally.The GETUP (Geoscience Education Targeting Underrepresented Populations) project will develop and assess the effectiveness of a multifaceted approach to increase recruitment, retention, and ultimately graduation rates and career placement of geoscience majors, focusing on underrepresented Latinx and female students at Weber State University (WSU). Although the number of Latinx students attending WSU had risen, participation in STEM fields lags, and despite a growing demand for qualified geoscientists, many students entering WSU are first-generation college students who do not have family traditions in STEM fields. To overcome these challenges, this project will develop pathways to geoscience careers that integrate varying combinations of early outreach to high schools, early collaborative research, student cohorts, community engaged learning, and multiple pedagogies to support varied learning styles. Specific activities include: a Geoscience concurrent enrollment class taught in collaboration with high school teachers that incorporates project-based learning activities and promotes early recruitment; a summer bridge program that helps with a transition to college; community-engaged learning in an environmental geoscience course; a summer research program where students conduct collaborative projects centered around a newly developed Great Salt Lake field observatory; and student cohorts who take a structured sequence of core classes, including a new sophomore-level class that emphasizes work-force skills and career planning. Student successes and attitudes will be assessed at multiple points to evaluate what combinations and timing of activities best enhance recruitment, retention, and professional socialization of underrepresented groups. Two pathways will be compared: one in which students enter the pipeline earlier in high school and have a summer bridge experience; and a second where students are recruited from college courses. Results will be disseminated via publications, workshops, and a dedicated webpage, and materials will be made available to other universities for enhancing recruitment and retention efforts.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.