Collaborative Research: GP-EXTRA: Geoscience Engagement and Outreach (GEO) - High-Impact Integrated Academic and Professional Experiences

很少有学生进入本科课程，了解地球科学是什么，或者知道它们是科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)课程的一部分。然而，高薪、高要求的地球科学工作，以及这些领域对多样性的需求，意味着这些学生可能会错过将他们对科学的兴趣投入工作的机会。对于在两年制院校开始本科教育的学生来说尤其如此，这些院校在高等教育版图中扮演着越来越重要的角色。在STEM，近54%的少数民族学生在社区大学开始他们的本科教育，努力吸引和支持这些学生，并为他们转到四年制院校并在那里取得成功做好更好的准备是如此重要。地球科学参与和推广(GEO)项目通过招募、指导和支持一批来自代表性不足人群的两年制大学生，促进学生在科学方面的进步。活动包括在教师指导下的地学分支学科研究，以及职业技能培养，以培养为未来雇主的期望做好准备的毕业生。记录通过该项目为留住地球科学领域的不同学生而开发的跨机构、综合研究和教育经验的潜力，有助于编写关于STEM招生和留住的文献。该项目还有望增加可用于指导本科生并促进地球科学继续教育的教师数量和水平。GEO项目正在通过创新的三所机构合作解决在地球科学渠道中参与、招聘和留住不同学生的障碍，该合作结合并利用了圣达菲学院(两年制教学机构)、佛罗里达大学(四年制研究机构)和奥兰多科学中心(非营利性非正规教育和外展场所)的优势。GEO项目为学生提供了真实的地球科学研究体验，明确地与实际应用相结合，并将其应用于课堂工作。项目目标包括：(1)培养圣达菲学院参与的GEO学生留住并转入地球科学学士学位课程；(2)加强圣达菲学院教师、佛罗里达大学研究人员和奥兰多科学中心非正式科学教育工作者之间的合作；(3)通过为在职教师开发资源的公开宣传，提高学生对地球科学职业的兴趣。GEO的研讨会式教学、外展项目开发和交付的研究指导以及最终的顶峰体验三个阶段为项目要素奠定了基础，使其成为圣达菲学院新兴的地球科学助理学位。该项目旨在支持三个年度队列，每个队列6名学生，结合同行和主管指导以及三个机构之间的合作。该项目的目标是招募代表性不足的人群，并将他们留在地球科学领域。佛罗里达大学的教职员工正在指导气象学、土壤水文学、地球科学和STEM教育等地球科学子学科的学生研究。奥兰多科学中心正在监督一项为期6周的带薪暑期实习，该实习强调沟通和拓展技能的发展。Geo学生正在通过OSC的Otronicon设计和开展与不同的公众受众、教师和高中志愿者的外联活动。秋季学期继续开展研究和外展活动，最终由GEO学生完成两年制学位，并转到四年制地球科学课程，准备与四年制院校同行一起继续并蓬勃发展。项目评估是使用地球科学概念清单来衡量学生的内容收获；此外，正在评估学生的科学认同感和从事地球科学职业的潜在兴趣的增加。

Few students enter undergraduate programs understanding what the geosciences are or that they are part of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. Yet, high paying, high demand jobs in the geosciences and the need for diversity in these fields means these students may miss an opportunity to put their interests in science to work. This is especially true of students beginning their undergraduate education at two year institutions, which are play an ever increasing role in the landscape of higher education. Nearly 54% of minority students in STEM begin their undergraduate education at a community college, making efforts to engage and support such students and better prepare them to transfer to and succeed at 4-year institutions is so important. The Geoscience Engagement and Outreach (GEO) project promotes progress in science for students through the recruitment, mentoring and support of a cohort of two-year college students from underrepresented populations. Activities include faculty mentored research in a sub-set of geoscience subdisciplines, as well as skill building for careers to produce graduates prepared for the expectations of future employers. Documenting the potential of cross-institutional, integrated research and education experiences being developed through this project for retaining diverse students in the geosciences contributes to the literature on STEM recruitment and retention. The project also is expected to increase the number and caliber of faculty available to mentor undergraduates and foster continued education in the geosciences.The GEO project is addressing barriers to engagement, recruitment, and retention of diverse students in the geosciences pipeline through an innovative three-institution collaboration that combines and leverages the strengths of Santa Fe College, a two year teaching institution; the University of Florida, a four year research institution; and the Orlando Science Center, a nonprofit informal education and outreach venue. The GEO project offers students authentic geoscience research experiences explicitly integrated with practical applications and scaffolded to classroom work. Project goals include: (1) fostering retention of the participating GEO students at Santa Fe College and transfer into Bachelor's degree programs in the geosciences, (2) strengthening collaborations among Santa Fe College teaching faculty, University of Florida researchers, and Orlando Science Center informal science educators, and (3) increasing student interest in geoscience careers through public outreach development of resources for in-service teachers. GEO's three phases of seminar-style teaching, research mentoring with outreach project development and delivery, and a culminating capstone experience scaffold the program elements into an emerging geoscience Associates degree at Santa Fe College. The project is designed to support three annual cohorts of 6 students each, with integration of peer- and supervisor-mentoring and collaborations among the three institutions. The project is targeted toward recruitment of underrepresented populations and their retention in geoscience fields. University of Florida faculty are mentoring student research in the geoscience sub-disciplines of meteorology, soil hydrology, and geoscience and STEM education. The Orlando Science Center is supervising a paid 6-week summer internship that emphasizes communications and outreach skills development. GEO students are designing and conducting outreach with diverse public audiences, teachers and high school volunteers through OSC's Otronicon. Continuation of research and outreach activities during the Fall semester culminates in the completion of a two year degree by GEO cohort students and their transfer to a four year geosciences program, prepared to continue and thrive alongside their four year institution peers. Project evaluation is measuring student content gain, using the Geoscience Concept Inventory; in addition, increases in a student's science identity and potential interest in pursuing geoscience careers are being assessed.