Supporting Ecology and Data Science Scholars

该项目的目标是为低收入，学术才华的学生提供一条途径，通过为他们提供生态和数据科学的需求技能，提供有针对性的队列经验和指导，并促进基于自然的娱乐和课外活动，实现职业和财务向上流动-所有这些都是高影响力的实践。这种方法解决了NSF战略计划的第一个目标“使STEM人才能够充分参与科学和工程。“环境科学和数据科学是两个迫切需要的领域，每个领域在未来十年的就业增长都高于平均水平。在此背景下，该项目将利用野生盆地创意研究中心以及德克萨斯州奥斯汀蓬勃发展的技术产业提供的独特机会。特别是，该项目将有助于劳动力发展在这两个关键领域的融合，同时也为低收入STEM专业的学生成功干预的有效性提供见解。该计划的研究结果将在科学教育界广泛传播，以进一步扩大受资助活动的范围和影响。该计划将为三批7至10名学生提供为期四年的奖学金，每年最高可达10，000美元，合资格的学生主修以下五个专业之一：数学、生物学、生物信息学、环境生物学和气候变化或环境科学和政策。生态学和数据科学学者将通过广告招募到被录取的STEM申请人和目标高中生，根据未满足的经济需求，学术潜力和简短的申请论文进行选择。该项目将通过密集的教师指导，并通过利用和扩大圣爱德华大学现有的高质量循证实践，包括学生队列，第一年的研讨会，学习社区，本科研究和实习来支持学者。该项目还将实施新的干预措施，包括：（1）共同的知识经验，重点是生态学，数据科学和环境教育;（2）在圣爱德华大学的野生盆地创意研究中心的体验式学习;（3）基于自然的娱乐和健康机会;（4）提供笔记本电脑和必要的软件;（5）近同行指导;（6）提供免费电子邮件;（7）提供免费电子邮件;（8）提供免费电子邮件;（9）提供免费电子邮件;（10）提供免费电子邮件;（11）提供免费电子邮件;（11）提供免费电子邮件;（12）提供免费电子邮件;（13）提供免费电子邮件;（14）提供免费电子邮件;（15）提供免费电子邮件;（16）提供免费电子邮件;（17）提供免费电子邮件;（18）提供免费电子邮件;（19）提供电子邮件;（19）提供电子邮件;（10）提供电子邮件;（19）提供电子邮件;（10）提供电子邮件;（19）提供电子邮件;（（6）与学者学术领域相关的校内就业机会。职业咨询和安置服务将由职业教练（一个是分配给每个圣爱德华大学的学生）和职业和专业发展办公室提供。该项目由NSF的科学，技术，工程和数学奖学金计划资助，该计划旨在增加低收入学术人才的数量，这些学生表现出经济需求，并获得STEM领域的学位。它还旨在改善未来STEM工作者的教育，并产生关于低收入学生的学术成功，保留，转移，毕业和学术/职业道路的知识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The objective of this project is to provide a pathway for low-income, academically talented students to achieve career and financial upward mobility through equipping them with in-demand skills for ecology and data science, providing targeted cohort experiences and mentorship, and facilitating nature-based recreation and co-curricular activities - all of which are demonstrated high-impact practices. This approach addresses the first goal of the NSF's strategic plan "to empower STEM talent to fully participate in science and engineering." Environmental Science and Data Science are two fields of critical need, each with above-average expected job growth over the next decade. Against this backdrop this project will leverage the unique opportunities afforded by access to the Wild Basin Creative Research Center, as well as the booming technology industry in Austin, Texas. In particular, this project will contribute to workforce development in the convergence of these two critical fields while also providing insights into the effectiveness of student success interventions for low-income STEM majors. The project's findings will be disseminated broadly within the science education community to further expand the reach and impact of the funded activities.The project will provide four-year scholarships of up to $10,000 per year for three cohorts of 7 to 10 students, with eligible students majoring in one of five majors: mathematics, biology, bioinformatics, environmental biology and climate change, or environmental science and policy. Ecology and Data Science Scholars will be recruited through advertising to admitted STEM applicants and targeted high school students, with selection based on unmet financial need, academic potential, and a short application essay. The project will support scholars through intensive faculty mentoring and by leveraging and expanding St. Edward’s University’s existing high-quality evidence-based practices, including student cohorts, first-year seminars, learning communities, undergraduate research, and internships. The project will also implement novel interventions, including: (1) common intellectual experiences focused on ecology, data science, and environmental education; (2) experiential learning at St. Edward’s University’s Wild Basin Creative Research Center; (3) nature-based recreation and wellness opportunities; (4) provision of laptop computers and necessary software; (5) near-peer mentoring; and (6) on-campus employment opportunities related to scholars’ academic fields. Career counseling and placement services will be provided by career coaches (one is assigned to every St. Edward’s University student) and the Office of Career and Professional Development. This project is funded by NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students.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.