GP UP: Undergraduate Preparation through Multidisciplinary Service Learning at Utah Lake (UP?Utah Lake)

地球科学家面临的关键问题是复杂的，越来越需要有能力与来自不同背景和领域的其他人合作来解决这些问题的专业人士。犹他谷大学的GEOPAths项目将通过以犹他湖为重点的多学科服务学习项目，促进大学生对地球科学的准备和认识。犹他湖与普罗沃-奥勒姆大都会区和高耸的瓦萨奇山脉接壤，是一种宝贵的生态和娱乐资源，受到入侵物种和水质退化的损害。由于该湖被污染的感觉，它的价值被低估和未充分利用，这给相关企业和社区的生活质量带来了压力。这方面的努力受到了阻碍，部分原因是需要跨越学科界限的研究。在这个项目中，水文学、环境科学、生物地球化学、地理、通信和商业管理领域的教师和本科生与社区的专业人士合作，解决湖泊周围的复杂问题。学生服务学习项目将直接用于研究，为政策制定者提供信息，使犹他湖恢复活力，造福社区。该项目旨在培养具有研究技能、多学科合作和解决现实世界问题的基本经验的不同背景的地球科学专业人员，同时培养具有地球科学问题意识的交叉领域的专业人员。up -犹他湖项目通过对犹他湖的多学科服务学习，提高了专业技能，增加了进入专业网络的机会，加深了对地球科学职业道路的了解，促进了犹他谷大学不同本科生的地球科学准备。主要活动包括：1)每年为12名学生实施为期8周的暑期课程，其中包含UP-Utah Lake服务学习项目；2)在暑期课程中创造一个学习环境，以满足参与者的指导需求，并提供STEM工作场所技能培养和职业相关经验；3)在犹他湖社区的利益相关者之间建立地球科学学习生态系统（GLE），为学生创造更多的学习机会；4)在学年的其他课程中整合UP-Utah Lake相关服务学习；5)通过与GLE合作的活动，如职业介绍、实地考察和工作见习机会，加深学生对地球科学职业的兴趣和知识。UP-Utah Lake项目基于基于证据的实践，旨在满足学生的需求，包括来自代表性不足群体的学生，如教师和同龄人的指导，以及与地区专业人士的合作。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。

Critical issues facing geoscientists are complex and increasingly require professionals with the ability to work with others from diverse backgrounds and fields to resolve them. Utah Valley University’s GEOPAths program will facilitate undergraduate geoscience preparation and awareness through multidisciplinary service-learning projects focused on Utah Lake. Utah Lake, bordered by the Provo-Orem metropolitan area and the towering Wasatch Mountains, is a valuable ecological and recreational resource, compromised by invasive species and degraded water quality. The lake is undervalued and underutilized because of its perception of being contaminated, which causes a strain on related businesses and the community’s quality of life. Efforts have been hindered, in part, by the need for research that crosses disciplinary boundaries. For this project, faculty and undergraduate students in the fields of hydrology, environmental science, biogeochemistry, geography, communication, and business management are collaborating with professionals in the community to address complex issues surrounding the lake. Student service learning projects will be directed toward research that informs policy makers’ efforts to rejuvenate Utah Lake to benefit the community. The project is preparing geoscience professionals from diverse backgrounds with essential experience in research skills, multidisciplinary collaboration, and real-world problem solving, while preparing professionals in intersecting fields with an awareness of geoscience concerns. The UP-Utah Lake project facilitates geoscience preparation of diverse undergraduate students at Utah Valley University through multidisciplinary service learning about Utah Lake that enhances professional skills, increases access to professional networks, and deepens knowledge of geoscience career pathways. Major activities include: 1) implementing the UP-Utah Lake service-learning project embedded in an 8-week summer course for cohorts of 12 students annually; 2) creating a learning environment within the summer course to meet the mentoring needs of participants and provide STEM workplace skill building and career-relevant experience; 3) developing a geoscience learning ecosystem (GLE) among stakeholders in the Utah Lake community to create enhanced learning opportunities for students; 4) integrating related UP-Utah Lake service learning in other courses during the academic year; and 5) deepening students’ interest and knowledge of geoscience careers by activities with the GLE such as career presentations, field trips, and job shadowing opportunities. The UP-Utah Lake project is grounded in evidence-based practices that address the needs of students, including those from underrepresented groups, such as mentoring from faculty and near-peers, and partnerships with area professionals.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.