Collaborative Research: GP-UP: Geo-Launchpad: Engaging Community College Students in Geoscience-STEM Career Pathways

该奖项全部或部分由2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。该项目是Front Range社区学院（FRCC）和UNAVCO之间的合作，UNAVCO是国家科学基金会地球科学GAGE设施（大地测量推进地球科学）的运营商。Geo-Launchpad计划旨在帮助两年制大学（2 YC）的学生发现和准备科学，技术，工程或数学（STEM），特别是地球科学的职业生涯，通过指导计划，课程和实习。该计划的重点是通过当地大学和联邦机构合作伙伴，让2 YC学生参与地球科学的学术机会和职业道路。该计划的设计依赖于教师通过这一过程指导学生。PI断言，教师是学生了解和申请地球科学实习项目的关键因素，特别是在2 YC级别，正式的地球科学专业通常不提供。在这个为期3年的项目中，教师参与专业发展计划，重点是指导学生。鼓励学生申请地球科学实习，包括通过该计划提供的实习机会，让学生在准备转入四年制大学时获得宝贵的工作经验。专注于两年制大学教师和学生在科罗拉多，新墨西哥州和怀俄明州，该计划从事三个主要活动：（1）创造学术课程的机会，让学生了解地球科学研究和职业，（2）支持学生与地球科学实习，（3）与2 YC干教师合作，以提高他们的地球科学意识，提高他们的指导技能。该计划需要进一步与美国地质调查局和三州地区的社区学院建立伙伴关系，并通过全体学生辅导研讨会增加对教师的支持。该奖项反映了NSF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。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).This project is a collaboration between Front Range Community College (FRCC) and UNAVCO, operator of the National Science Foundation-Earth Sciences GAGE Facility (Geodesy Advancing Geosciences). The Geo-Launchpad program is designed to help students from two-year colleges (2YC) discover and prepare for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), in particular, the geosciences, though mentoring programs, curriculum, and internships. The program focuses on involving 2YC students in academic opportunities and career paths in geosciences through local university and federal agency partners. The program design relies on faculty to mentor students through this process. The PIs assert that faculty are a critical element to students being aware of and applying to internship programs in the geosciences, especially at the 2YC level where formal geoscience majors are often not offered. During this 3-year project, faculty participate in professional development programs focused on mentoring students. Students are encouraged to apply to geoscience internships including one offered through this program, allowing students to gain valuable work experience as they prepare to transfer to a four-year college. Focusing on two-year college faculty and students in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, the program engages in three primary activities: (1) creating academic course opportunities for students to learn about geoscience research and careers, (2) supporting students with a geoscience internship and, (3) working with 2YC STEM faculty to increase their awareness of geosciences and improve their mentoring skills. The program entails further building partnerships with the United States Geological Survey and community colleges across the three-state area, as well as increasing support of faculty through a Whole Student Mentoring workshop. Results will be documented and made public, with best practices shared with 2YC faculty across the United States.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.