The SACNAS Geo-Futures Program

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The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) Geo-Futures workshop is a conference-based program that will engage with and provide educational resources for students interested in pursuing a career in the geosciences. Primarily recruiting from students within NSF’s Geoscience Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites, the SACNAS Geo-Futures program will provide students with pre and post-conference training that will prepare them for understanding how to engage in a national research conference. Pre-conference activities will provide students with an introduction on navigating a scientific conference and networking with geoscientists in attendance. Conference activities will provide students with an introduction to original research being conducted in the geosciences, as well as examples of career pathways that can be engaged in as a professional geoscientist. Beyond providing students with guidance on how to pursue academic and professional careers in geoscience, the SACNAS Geo-Futures program can help them understand how their diverse talents and perspectives, which in part derive from their unique cultural experiences, can contribute to a scientific workforce that looks to address the emerging needs of 21st century geoscience research.The SACNAS Geo-Futures program forms an alliance among geoscience professionals within a diversity focused STEM conference to help recruit, engage and retain underrepresented students in the geosciences through a conference based mentoring program. The SACNAS Geo-Futures program aims to 1) recruit 40 student participants, with an emphasis on students from underrepresented groups and those with experience in an NSF Geoscience REU; 2) engage students in innovative research and professional development in geoscience; 3) provide students with high-caliber mentoring; and; 4) provide rigorous support and training for students to ensure continued interest and involvement in the geosciences. The social context of the program is the demographics of the U.S, whose composition is rapidly changing, with little reflection of this change seen in the ranks of geoscience institutions of the U.S. A vigorous recruitment and outreach effort leverages connections with diversity-focused programs from across the United States and the experience of the workshop organization team in engaging with students from underrepresented student populations.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.