Collaborative Research: The Polaris Project - Catalyzing Change in the Arctic Research Community

北极星项目吸引了一群不同的本科生参与北极前沿研究，并为他们提供鼓励、指导和继续从事北极研究的机会。该项目旨在解决极地地学劳动力缺乏种族和民族多样性的问题，还将培训学生与北极当地社区共同创造知识的过程。除了将科学进步与社会需求联系起来的固有好处外，本科生的科学动机越来越集中在一种愿望上，即“有所作为”，而不仅仅是收集、综合和报告数据。北极星项目将开发一个支持这一需求的本科生研究和指导模式。北极星项目的核心要素是为期一个月的暑期体验，其中包括对阿拉斯加育空库斯科维姆三角洲的实地考察，在此期间，学生将完成自己设计的研究项目。考察队成员解决了一个具有重大科学和社会意义的问题，即火灾和永久冻土融化对北极景观脆弱性的影响。作为探险的一部分，学生和教职员工还将花时间与阿拉斯加当地和土著居民互动，并向他们学习，他们正在亲身经历环境变化的影响。在产生科学知识方面与当地和土著北极社区接触，对于了解北极系统和应用这一知识在地方和全球范围内有效满足社会需求至关重要。该项目将开发一种本科教育模式，其中包括进行科学研究，结合宝贵的专业知识、培训和来自当地和土著社区的投入。对模型的评估将提高我们对如何设计项目的理解，这些项目让本科生参与研究，包括与当地社区共同创造知识，特别是在阿拉斯加与北极相关的科学领域。这项建议得到了极地项目办公室和本科教育部门的支持。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Polaris Project engages a diverse group of undergraduate students in cutting-edge arctic research and provides them encouragement, mentoring, and opportunities to continue pursuing arctic studies. The program, which is designed to address the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the polar geoscience workforce, will also train students in the process of co-production of knowledge with local communities in the Arctic. In addition to the inherent benefit of linking scientific progress to societal needs, undergraduate students' scientific motivations are increasingly focused on a desire to 'make a difference' that extends beyond collecting, synthesizing, and reporting data. The Polaris Project will develop an undergraduate student research and mentoring model that supports this need. The central element of the Polaris Project is the month-long summer experience, which includes a field expedition to the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta in Alaska, during which students will complete a research project of their own design. Expedition participants tackle an issue of great scientific and societal importance, the impacts of fire and permafrost thaw on the vulnerability of the Arctic landscape. As part of the expedition, students and faculty will also spend time interacting with and learning from local and indigenous residents of Alaska who are experiencing the effects of the changing environment first-hand. Engaging with local and indigenous Arctic communities in the generation of scientific knowledge is critical to understanding the Arctic system and to applying this knowledge to effectively address societal needs at local to global scales. The project will develop a model for undergraduate education that includes conducting scientific research combined with invaluable expertise, training, and input from local and indigenous communities. Evaluation of the model will improve our understanding of how to design projects that engage undergraduates in research that encompasses co-production of knowledge with local communities, and particularly in arctic-related science in Alaska. This proposal is supported by the Office of Polar Programs and by the Division of Undergraduate Education.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.