Targeted Infusion Project: Developing the Geospatial Data Analytics Certificate Program at Fayetteville State University

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The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Targeted Infusion Projects supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. The Geospatial Data Analytics (GEODATA) Certificate at Fayetteville State University (FSU) will expose students to new career opportunities, since geospatial technologies have recently experienced robust job growth and is rapidly gaining momentum in the industry, with wide ranging applications. The traditional and online courses will serve a broad range of students, including underrepresented minorities and non-traditional students who attend FSU.The GEODATA Certificate program will educate undergraduate students in computational and data-enabled science in the context of geospatial applications. The proposed project is based on educational research that suggests Computer Science curricula can benefit from creating pathways built from contexts, which are application and domain areas that cover core knowledge by providing explanations and motivation for students. The interdisciplinary computing classes of the program are thus expected to aid in recruitment and retention and provide benefits for students seeking new career opportunities in STEM. The GEODATA program will add to the growing body of knowledge on how to motivate students in the study of computing, how to prepare them for the modern-day job market, and how to develop their core knowledge and skills by using the geospatial context. Proposed activities consist of course development and redesign, setting up the geospatial-computing infrastructure and equipment, implementation of the certification program and development of fully online counterparts of existing program courses.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.