Collaborative Research: Building Racial Equity in Marine Science

海洋科学是美国种类最少的科学之一。然而，海洋面临的复杂而紧迫的问题以及依赖海洋的社区的需求需要一个具有不同专业知识、种族认同和经验的海洋社会。该项目结合了汉普顿大学和布莱克海洋科学两个实体的优势，通过响应文化和以正义为中心的规划，增加黑人对海洋科学相关领域的参与，并创造一种归属感。该项目旨在促进黑人和其他边缘化社区的海洋扫盲和研究，并为人们提供工具，以解决他们不断变化的环境中的问题。该项目将(1)吸引有色人种的高中生进入与海洋科学相关的领域，(2)通过与文化相关的课程吸引本科生，(3)支持本科生和毕业生发展专业技能并建立他们作为科学家的身份，(4)为本科生准备与海洋科学相关的职业和STEM职业，以及(5)介绍高中生和本科生从事研究。所有活动将使用公平的STEM教学工具(文化教育、多代人学习、支持不同意义的创造、以种族正义为中心、有意义的现象和基于地点的学习)来实施。本项目旨在回答首要的研究问题：参与设计的项目活动如何改善黑人的结果并增加种族公平？研究小组将收集对参与者的经验和影响的数据，以了解项目的不同方面如何影响他们对海洋科学的知识和归属感。该项目的内部和外部评估将采用注重文化和公平的方法、混合方法(定量和定性)数据收集战略，并采用教育和价值观参与的视角。这些方法将提供更丰富的数据，允许更好的数据三角划分，更高的多文化有效性，并产生更细微的评估结果。这一项目的更广泛影响包括科学出版物，包括从评估、会议和社区演示中得出的关键结果，以突出规划的优势和劣势，教师可获得的课程，以及关于参与者的吸引力、留存和归属感的数据。该活动支持通过研究和实践促进科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教育和劳动力发展方面的种族平等的项目。获奖项目集中了受STEM领域系统性种族主义造成的不平等影响最大的个人、社区和机构的声音、知识和经验。这项活动符合NSF的核心价值，即支持来自全国不同人口群体、地区和组织类型的杰出研究人员和创新思想家。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Ocean science is one of the least diverse sciences in the United States. Yet the complex and pressing issues facing the ocean and the needs of ocean-dependent communities require an ocean-literate society with diverse expertise, racial identities, and experiences. This project combines the strengths of two entities, Hampton University and Black in Marine Science, to increase the participation of Black people in marine science related fields and create a sense of belonging through culturally responsive and justice-centered programming. This project is designed to boost ocean literacy and research within Black and other marginalized communities and equip people with tools to solve problems in their changing environment. The project will (1) attract high school students of color into marine science related fields, (2) engage undergraduates through a culturally relevant curriculum, (3) support undergraduates and graduates develop professional skills and build their identity as scientists, (4) prepare undergraduates for marine science-related and STEM careers, and (5) introduce both high school students and undergraduates to research. All activities will be implemented using equitable STEM teaching tools (cultural pedagogies, multi-generational learning, supporting diverse sense-making, centering racial justice, meaningful phenomena, and place-based learning).This project aims to answer the overarching research question: How does participation in the designed project activities improve outcomes and increase racial equity for Black people? The research team will collect data on the experiences and impacts on participants to understand how different aspects of the project affect their knowledge of and sense of belonging in marine sciences. The internal and external evaluation of the project will utilize a culturally responsive and equity-focused approach, mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) data collection strategies, and apply an educative and values-engaged lens. These methods will provide richer data, allow for better data triangulation, higher multicultural validity, and produce more nuanced evaluation results. The broader impacts of this project include scientific publications with key findings from the evaluations, conference, and community presentations to highlight the strength and weaknesses of the programming, curriculum accessible to teachers and lastly, data on attraction, retention, and sense of belonging of participants.This project is funded by the Racial Equity in STEM Education activity (EDU Racial Equity). The activity supports projects that promote racial equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development through research and practice. Awarded projects center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of the individuals, communities, and institutions most impacted by the inequities caused by systemic racism in STEM fields. This activity aligns with NSF’s core value of supporting outstanding researchers and innovative thinkers from across the Nation’s diversity of demographic groups, regions, and types of organizations.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.