Emerge: Broadening Participation and Leadership in Freshwater Science

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Diversity in the scientific workforce is critical to tackling the world’s most pressing challenges, including effective conservation of freshwater resources. Diversity of freshwater scientists in the U.S. is low in all dimensions, relative to the broader population. This lack of diversity may limit opportunities to engage the general public in equitable strategies to manage freshwater ecosystems. Universities play a foundational role when training students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but underrepresented minorities (URM) still face unique challenges in pursuing STEM careers beyond college. Scientific societies can help fill these STEM training gaps. Societies publish scientific findings, host technical conferences, and sustain broad professional networks. Thus, they are central to the collective pace of scientific progress, as well as the success of individual scientists, and are uniquely positioned to advance the careers of URM students. The ‘Emerge’ program uses a novel and transformative series of training and mentoring experiences, orchestrated in collaboration with the Society for Freshwater Science (SFS), to maximize URM recruitment and retention in freshwater science. Over the course of the five-year project, Emerge will deliver 700 experiences to URM participants and create a roadmap that institutions and organizations can use to build a more diverse and inclusive STEM workforce.Emerge is the evolution of the ‘Instars’ (named for the early life stages of aquatic insects) program – already a 10-year commitment by SFS to provide growth experiences for URM undergraduates at its annual meeting. The overarching goal of Emerge is to facilitate URM individuals at multiple career stages gain a robust sense of belonging within the freshwater scientific community. In other words, to help participants achieve full ‘scientific integration’. Major Emerge program activities include: (i) enhanced networking opportunities with other URM trainees and established professionals; (ii) advanced technical training in ecological data analysis (including National Ecological Observatory Network data) and visual communication of scientific information; and (iii) collaborative research that facilitates a strong sense of confidence and accomplishment through year-long projects and near-peer/peer-peer mentoring. Oversight by an external advisory board of diverse professionals in freshwater science will ensure Emerge program success and sustainability. Rigorous external assessment of all program activities will be combined with records of the professional achievements of individual URM participants to gauge program effectiveness. Emerge program experiences and lessons will be disseminated though scholarly publications, shared resources with other institutions and scientific societies, and a series of documentary films.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.