Cultivating Participation of Underrepresented Institutions and Students in NEON Science and Education

国家生态观测网络是一个研究平台，使研究和教育，了解气候，土地利用和入侵物种的变化对生物圈在区域到大陆规模的后果。这个网络平台将为解决社会面临的许多生态挑战提供一个令人兴奋的机会。应对未来复杂的生态挑战需要多种方法和多种人类背景。氖？的教育和推广使命是使社会和科学界能够利用生态信息和预测来理解和有效地解决关键的生态问题和议题。氖？我们的愿景是让社会各界参与到氖科学中来，利用数据、信息和预测来应对我们这个时代的关键环境挑战。该奖项是两个组织（科学与工程联盟- SEA和氖，Inc.）以及一个专业协会（美国生态学会-ESA），在与代表性不足的团体和机构合作方面具有丰富经验。将开展三项活动：为大学生举办一个研讨会，探讨如何使用氖的综合社交媒体应用程序，举办四次教育网络研讨会，并为17所历史上的黑人学院和大学（HBCU）和少数民族服务机构（MSI）举办一系列大学演讲图尔斯之旅。这些活动旨在为代表性不足的少数群体机构和学生参与应对未来生态挑战、问题和研究所需的科学和教育奠定基础。

The National Ecological Observatory Network is a research platform to enable research and education in understanding the consequences of climate, landuse, and invasive species changes on the biosphere at regional to continental scale. This cyber-enabled platform will provide an exciting opportunity to address many ecological challenges that society faces. Addressing the complex ecological challenges of tomorrow require a diversity of approaches and a diversity of human backgrounds. NEON?s education and outreach mission is to enable society and the scientific community to use ecological information and forecasts to understand and effectively address critical ecological questions and issues. NEON?s vision is for a broad spectrum of society to be engaged in NEON science with the ability to use data, information and forecasts to address the critical environmental challenges of our time. This award is a collaboration of two organizations (Science and Engineering Alliance - SEA, and the NEON, Inc.) and a professional society (Ecological Society of America -ESA) with extensive experience in working with under-represented groups and institutions. Three activities will be conducted: a workshop for college students to explore the use of integrated social media applications for NEON, four educational webinars, and a series of College Speaking Tours to 17 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). These activities are intended to build the foundations for participation of under-represented minority institutions and students in the science and education necessary to address the ecological challenges, issues, and research of the future.