GEOPAths: Informal Networks Vocational Experiences and Research Training in Marine Science (GP-IN:VERT)

GEOPAths海洋科学非正式网络职业经验和研究培训(GP-IN：VERT)是一个旨在增加大学前学生接触和参与海洋STEM活动的项目，以努力增加攻读海洋STEM学位的本科生人数。海洋STEM仍然是种族和族裔多样性最少的领域之一，尽管在结构上被排除在STEM之外的群体越来越重视和努力增加他们的参与。GP-IN：VERT旨在通过以下方式增加对海洋STEM学位的追求：让主要来自结构上被排斥和边缘化群体的学生参与与海洋地球科学职业相关的真实经历；为那些在决定专业之前可能不会接触地球科学的学生提供机会；并建立机制，让当地高中生参与证明地球科学是一条可行的职业道路的经历。这将通过一个学年的课后计划来完成，然后在夏天进行为期两周的身临其境的体验。参与活动的学生将接触到海洋STEM的内容、实践经验和高等教育机会，以及各种海洋STEM专业人员，以更好地了解该领域的广阔前景以及进入职业生涯的途径。GP-IN：VERT旨在让来自结构上被排斥和边缘化人群的学生参与有意义的海洋STEM活动，努力提高高中生：对海洋STEM职业机会的认识；对海洋STEM职业道路的了解；在海洋STEM环境中的自我效能、归属感和科学认同感；通过参与以学习生态系统为基础的计划获得社会支持的感觉；以及对在海洋STEM攻读本科课程和职业生涯的信心。本课程将采用社会认知职业理论的方法，即学生的学习经历受到他们先前的经验、倾向和/或文化背景和身份的影响，这些都影响着复杂的职业选择决策过程。在训练有素的员工导师和返校学生同伴导师的指导下，学生将被提供一个支架式学习框架，以建立他们关于海洋STEM概念和主题的知识库，以及与职业相关的信息，如可获得的职业和进入这些职业的途径。该项目有可能成为其他希望在海洋STEM和其他STEM领域创建职业暴露和探索计划的机构的典范。最终，该项目寻求使海洋STEM景观多样化，以便在地球科学研究中产生富有成效和创造性的问题解决方案。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。

GEOPAths Informal Network Vocational Experiences and Research Training in Marine Science (GP-IN:VERT) is a project designed to increase pre-college student exposure to and participation in marine STEM activities in an effort to increase the number of undergraduate students pursuing a degree in marine STEM. Marine STEM remains one of the least racially and ethnically diverse fields despite increased emphasis and efforts to increase participation from groups who have been structurally excluded in STEM. GP-IN:VERT aims to increase the pursuit of marine STEM degrees by: engaging students primarily from structurally excluded and marginalized groups in authentic, marine geoscience career-relevant experiences; providing access to students that might otherwise not encounter geoscience before deciding on a major; and creating mechanisms to engage local high school students in experiences that demonstrate the geosciences as a viable career path. This will be done through a school-year afterschool program followed by a two-week immersive experience over the summer. Participating students will engage with marine STEM content, hands-on experiences and higher educational opportunities as well as various marine STEM professionals to gain a better understanding of the broad landscape of the field as well as pathways into careers.GP-IN:VERT aims to engage students from structurally excluded and marginalized populations in meaningful marine STEM activities in an effort to increase high school student: awareness of marine STEM career opportunities; understanding of marine STEM career pathways; self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and science identity in marine STEM settings, feelings of social support through participation in a learning ecosystem-based program; and confidence in pursuing undergraduate programs and careers in marine STEM. A Social Cognitive Career Theory approach will be utilized in which learning experiences of student participants are influenced by their prior experiences, predispositions, and/or cultural backgrounds and identities, which all impact the complex decision-making process of career choice. Under the guidance of trained staff mentors and returning student peer mentors, students will be provided a scaffolded learning framework to build their knowledge base of marine STEM concepts and topics as well as career relevant information like careers available and pathways into those careers. This program has the potential to serve as a model for other institutions looking to create a career exposure and exploration program, both in marine STEM and in other STEM fields. Ultimately this project seeks to diversify the marine STEM landscape in order to produce productive and creative problem solving in geoscience research.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.