GP-UP: Strengthening the Geoscience Workforce by Scaffolding Community Outreach and Research Experiences (SCORE) through WaterCorps

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。WaterCorps计划将建立一个强调地球科学劳动力发展的体验式学习途径。 学生将参与一个专业的学习社区，提供一个平行的环境，以现实世界，基于项目的工作环境，如环境咨询行业。 该计划的独特结构使学生能够获得与地球科学相关的技术技能，同时也培养在行业中取得成功所需的软技能（例如，项目管理和客户参与）。 在水队计划的学生将支持在东北卡罗来纳州的活动，从环境现场调查，教育和宣传活动，为广泛的社区合作伙伴的区域需求差距。一支训练有素的地球科学队伍对于解决这一经济弱势地区面临的重要水质和水量问题至关重要。WaterCorps的学生将使用基于问题的学习方法来发展他们的技能，这将使他们非常适合加入北卡罗来纳州东部的环境地球科学工作队伍。 然而，该项目的结构也旨在向学生介绍业务流程并建立专业身份，从而为那些可能不会参加课外体验式学习体验（如传统研究）的人提供体验式学习的途径。 WaterCorps计划基于兴趣和身份发展理论。 相对于本科生的研究经验，这是众所周知的是非常成功的学生走向研究生院和研究生涯，该项目的主要目标侧重于建立专业身份和培养学生的劳动力，特别是与环境/沿海地球科学和环境咨询领域。WaterCorps组织将建立由项目经理，工作人员科学家，实习生和一般参与者组成的学生团队，以解决社区合作伙伴在咨询式环境中提出的现实问题。 外部项目伙伴包括州政府机构、非政府组织和地方社区团体，它们处理各种与水有关的问题。 学生将获得技术地球科学经验，并建立在劳动力所需的软技能（例如，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).The WaterCorps program will build an experiential learning pathway that emphasizes workforce development in the geosciences. Students will engage in a professional learning community that provides a parallel environment to real-world, project-based work settings, such as the environmental consulting industry. The unique structure of the program enables students to gain geoscience-related technical skills while also developing soft skills needed for success in industry (e.g., project management and client engagement). Students in the WaterCorps program will support a regional needs gap in Eastern North Carolina for activities ranging from environmental site investigations to education and outreach activities for a wide range of community partners. A well-trained geoscience workforce is critical to tackle the important water quality and quantity issues faced by this economically disadvantaged region. WaterCorps students will develop their skills using a problem-based learning approach that will make them well suited to joining the environmental geoscience workforce in eastern North Carolina. The structure of the project is also designed, however, to introduce students to business processes and build professional identity, thereby creating a pathway to experiential learning for those who might not otherwise take part in a cocurricular experiential learning experience, such as traditional research. The WaterCorps program is based on theories of interest and identity development. As opposed to undergraduate research experiences, which are known to be highly successful in moving students towards graduate school and research careers, this project's main goal focuses on building professional identity and preparing students for the workforce, particularly areas related to environmental/coastal geosciences and environmental consulting. The WaterCorps organization will build student teams consisting of a project manager, staff scientists, interns, and general participants to address real-world problems posed by community partners in a consulting-style context. External project partners range from State government agencies to non-governmental organizations and local community groups addressing a wide range of water-related problems. Students will obtain technical geoscience experience and build soft skills that are needed in the workforce (e.g., project management, client communication, time management and task prioritization, and personnel skills).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.