GP-GO: LET'S GEO: Learning Ecosystem for Training Student Geoscientists for Employment Opportunities

地球科学学位对水、环境、能源和矿产资源相关领域的许多职业都很有价值。然而，目前的预测表明，很快就会有太少的学生毕业，获得地球科学学位，无法担任这些重要的职位。让我们的GEO(培训学生地球科学家就业机会的学习生态系统)是一项倡议，旨在为威斯康星大学密尔沃基分校(UWM)获得地球科学学位的学生提供有针对性的劳动力培训。Let‘s GEO将在一所大型大学的地球科学系和当地雇主之间建立一个网络，旨在扩大学位课程对学生的影响，为在该领域代表性不足的学生提供机会，并解决预计缺乏训练有素的地球科学家的问题。Let’s GEO将与来自学术界(教职员工和学生)、政府机构和私营部门雇主的地球科学合作伙伴一起利用地球科学学习生态系统的方法。该计划的主要目标有四个：1)为当前的地球科学专业学生提供适销对路的职业技能；2)加强威斯康星大学密尔沃基分校(UWM)地球科学系与威斯康星州东南部环境和岩土雇主之间的现有合作关系；3)通过清晰的结构和从地球科学教育到就业的途径范例，招收更多的地球科学专业学生；4)为主要从事学术工作的地球科学教师提供一个行业适用的知识库。这些目标将通过合作伙伴之间的持续讨论来实现，为学生创造综合的频繁机会，让他们参与短期的低风险职业准备活动，包括关于许多地球科学职业所需的技术主题、沟通技能和监管框架的短期课程；行业专业人员对学生的指导指导；许多地球科学工作所需的安全培训；以及为学生提供第一手了解其潜在职业轨迹的工作跟踪机会。该奖项反映了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。

A degree in the geosciences is valuable for many careers in sectors related to water, environment, energy resources, and mineral resources. However, current projections suggest that soon there will be too few students graduating with geoscience degrees to fill these important roles. LET’S GEO (Learning Ecosystem for Training Student Geoscientists for Employment Opportunities) is an initiative to provide targeted workforce training for students graduating with geosciences degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). LET’S GEO will create a network between a large university’s geoscience department and local employers which is intended to amplify the impact of the degree programs for students, provide opportunities to students underrepresented in the field, and address the projected shortfall of trained geoscientists.LET’S GEO will utilize a geoscience learning ecosystem approach with geosciences partners from academia (faculty, staff, and students), government agencies, and private sector employers. The primary goals of this program are fourfold: 1) to provide current geosciences students with marketable career-oriented skillsets, 2) to strengthen existing partnerships between the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Department of Geosciences and environmental and geotechnical employers in southeastern Wisconsin, 3) to recruit more students into geosciences majors through clear articulation and examples of pathways from geoscience education to employment, and 4) to provide geosciences faculty who have largely academic work experience an industry-applicable knowledge base. These goals will be addressed through ongoing discussions between partners to create integrated frequent opportunities for students to become engaged in short-term low-stakes career preparation activities including short-courses on technical topics, communication skills, and regulatory frameworks required for many geosciences careers; directed mentoring for students by industry professionals; safety training required for many geosciences jobs; and job-shadowing opportunities for students to see their potential career tracks firsthand.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.