GP-IN: Air Across Texas: Scattered and Supported: A program introducing high school students from underrepresented groups to air quality monitoring, research, and careers

全国范围内的地球科学项目的注册人数都在下降，这将影响到地球科学的劳动力。需要一支强大的地球科学队伍来建设一个有弹性的地球，并帮助解决对国家福祉至关重要的问题，包括空气污染、环境变化、极端天气以及这些事件将产生的复合影响。地球科学领域仍然是科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域中多样性最少的领域。横跨德克萨斯州的空气项目（AAT）将支持来自代表性不足的科学背景的高中生，鼓励他们攻读专注于大气科学的STEM本科学位。该项目将为学生提供知识和研究经验，同时也将为他们的父母/监护人提供支持，使他们能够学习STEM概念和教育途径，从而加强对下一代科学家的支持。在项目结束时，将开发一个旅行实验室工具包，并将其分发给整个地区的高中教师网络，优先考虑获得资源有限的农村学区。“穿越德州的空气”将向德州各地的高中生（主要来自农村地区）介绍大气科学主题，重点是空气质量。该项目的目标是1)提高学生在研究和大气科学主题（重点是空气质量）方面的知识和技能。提高高中生的STEM兴趣和STEM自我效能感。3. 提高家长对STEM概念、职业和大学机会的认识。4. 向学生介绍大学经历和STEM职业，增加大学归属感。项目目标将支持学生对科学领域的参与和兴趣，强调研究过程的质量和发展。它将使用实践和基于项目的学习来培养学生在遇到具有挑战性的科学概念或主题时如何使用基于研究的方法的理解。AAT将分三个阶段运行，包括虚拟和面对面的设置，强调并行的主动学习和团队合作。在第一阶段，在一个在线的环境中，学生将被介绍不同的科学主题，以增加他们的知识，并为第二阶段做准备。在第二阶段，学生的活动将以研究性学习活动为主。每个学生将使用放置在家中的低成本空气质量传感器完成一个基于研究的项目。在第三阶段，学生们将在德州理工大学（TTU）参加为期一周的暑期研究研讨会（SRS），参加队列建设和科学活动，为他们的大学生活做准备。家长或监护人也将在SRS开始时参与，并了解潜在的STEM职业，大学机会以及支持孩子追求STEM的方法。在SRS结束时，学生将在会议环境中展示他们的研究，并准备好提交大学申请。完成该课程的学生将被邀请在每年秋季学期在多伦多理工大学举行的“变革本科体验研讨会”上展示他们的研究成果。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

Geoscience programs across the nation have seen a decline in enrollment, which will impact the geoscience workforce. A strong geoscience workforce is needed to build a resilient planet and help address issues important to the well-being of the nation, including air pollution, environmental change, extreme weather, and the compounding impacts that these events will produce. The geoscience fields remains some of the least diverse among the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The project Air Across Texas (AAT) will support high school students from underrepresented backgrounds in science to encourage them to pursue undergraduate degrees in STEM focusing on atmospheric science. The project will provide knowledge and research experiences for the students but will also support their parents/guardians enabling them to learn STEM concepts and educational avenues, enhancing the support of the next generation of scientists. At the end of the project a traveling lab kit will be developed and distributed to a network of high school teachers across the region with a preference for rural school districts that have limited access to resources.Air Across Texas will introduce high school students from across Texas (mainly from rural areas) to atmospheric science topics, with a focus on air quality. The goals of the project are to 1) Improve students’ knowledge and skills in research and atmospheric science topics (with a focus on air quality) 2. Increase STEM interest and STEM self-efficacy of high school students. 3. Increase parental awareness of STEM concepts, careers, and collegiate opportunities. 4. Introduce students to college experiences and STEM careers, increasing collegiate belongingness. The project goals will support the student’s engagement and interest in scientific fields, emphasizing the quality and development of the research process. It will use hands-on and project-based learning to foster students’ understanding on how to use a research-based approach when encountering challenging scientific concepts or subjects. AAT will operate in three phases including virtual and in-person settings, emphasizing parallel active learning and teamwork. In phase-1, in an online setting, students will be introduced to different scientific topics to increase their knowledge and prepare them for phase-2. During phase-2, student activities will focus on research learning activities. Each student will perform a research-based project using a low-cost air quality sensor that will be placed in their homes. In phase-3, students will take part in a 1-week Summer Research Symposium (SRS) at Texas Tech University (TTU), participating in cohort building and scientific activities to prepare them for college experiences. Parents or guardians will also participate at the beginning of SRS and learn about potential STEM careers, collegiate opportunities, and ways to support their children pursuing STEM. At the end of SRS, the students will present their research in a conference setting and will have university applications ready for submission. Students who complete the program will be invited to present their research at the Transformative Undergraduate Experiences Symposium held every year in the fall semester at TTU.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.