Collaborative Research: Development of a network in the Geosciences

部落学院和大学计划(TCUP)的目标是提高为本国土著学生服务的特定高等教育机构的科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教学和研究能力。在这些机构扩大STEM课程的范围，可以扩大学生在STEM领域追求富有挑战性和回报的职业的机会，提供在可能具有文化意义的领域进行研究的机会，并鼓励社区和世代对科学和数学教育的欣赏。该项目与这一目标直接一致，而且将使整个知识体系了解本科生和研究生在招聘和留住未被充分代表的个人参加STEM研究以及培养下一代STEM专业人员方面的重要性和开展研究工作的经验。在留住更有可能继续学业和攻读更高学位的学生方面，教师与研究的联系，以及学生与文化和地理相关的研究的联系，是重要的一步。对于那些直接从部落大学进入劳动力市场的学生来说，同样重要的是，他们拥有进入STEM劳动力市场的明确的数学、科学和技术技能。利奇湖部落学院(LLTC)和明尼苏达大学德卢斯分校(UMD)将合作在该部落学院开设地球系统科学专业，建立一个允许利奇湖部落学院的学生从UMD获得部落资源管理学士学位的教育连续体系，并在两所机构之间开发一个生态系统网络和研究议程，这将为LLTC学生带来劳动力机会，并使社区更多地参与影响保护区的生态问题。

ABSTRACTA goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the Nation's indigenous students. Expanding the STEM curricular offerings at these institutions expands the opportunities of their students to pursue challenging, rewarding careers in STEM fields, provides for research studies in areas that may be culturally significant, and encourages a community and generational appreciation for science and mathematics education. This project aligns directly with that goal, and moreover will inform the body of knowledge about the importance and conduct of undergraduate and graduate research experiences in recruiting and retaining underrepresented individuals into STEM studies, and preparing the next generation of STEM professionals. The connection of faculty to research and thereby the students to culturally and geographically relevant research is an important step in retaining students who are more likely to continue their studies and pursue advanced degrees. For those students entering the workforce directly from a tribal college it is equally important that they have a well-defined skill set in mathematics, science, and technology for entry into the STEM workforce. Leech Lake Tribal College (LLTC) and University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) will collaborate to develop an earth systems science major at the tribal college, establish an educational continuum that will permit LLTC students to earn a BS in tribal resource management from UMD, and develop an ecosystem network and research agenda between the two institutions that will result in workforce opportunities for LLTC students, as well as greater community engagement in ecological issues that impact the reservation.