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，高要求的工作在地球科学和需要在这些领域的多样性意味着这些学生可能会错过一个机会，把他们的兴趣在科学工作。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领域发挥着越来越重要的作用。 近54%的STEM少数民族学生开始在社区大学接受本科教育，努力吸引和支持这些学生，让他们更好地为转学到四年制大学并取得成功做好准备是非常重要的。地球科学参与和推广（GEO）项目通过招募，指导和支持一群来自代表性不足的人群的两年制大学生，促进学生在科学方面的进步。活动包括教师指导的研究在地球科学子学科的子集，以及职业技能建设，以生产毕业生准备未来雇主的期望。记录通过该项目开发的跨机构，综合研究和教育经验的潜力，以留住地球科学领域的不同学生，有助于STEM招聘和保留文献。该项目还预计将增加教师的数量和素质，以指导本科生和促进继续教育的地球科学。地球观测项目正在解决的障碍，参与，招聘和保留不同的学生在地球科学管道通过一个创新的三个机构的合作，结合和利用圣达菲学院，两年制教学机构的优势;佛罗里达大学，一个为期四年的研究机构;和奥兰多科学中心，一个非营利的非正式教育和推广场所。 GEO项目为学生提供真实的地球科学研究经验，明确结合实际应用和脚手架课堂工作。项目目标包括：（1）促进参与GEO的学生留在圣达菲学院，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，提高学生对地球科学职业的兴趣。GEO的三个阶段的博物馆式教学，研究指导与推广项目的开发和交付，以及一个最终的顶点经验脚手架的程序元素到一个新兴的地球科学协会在圣达菲学院学位。该项目旨在支持三个年度组群，每个组群6名学生，同时整合同侪和导师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口，并将他们留在地球科学领域。佛罗里达大学的教师正在指导学生在气象学，土壤水文学，地球科学和STEM教育的地球科学子学科的研究。奥兰多科学中心正在监督为期6周的带薪暑期实习，强调沟通和推广技能的发展。GEO的学生正在通过OSC的Otronicon设计和开展与不同公众受众、教师和高中志愿者的外联活动。在秋季学期的研究和推广活动的继续在GEO队列学生完成两年制学位和他们转移到一个为期四年的地球科学计划，准备继续和他们的四年机构同行一起茁壮成长达到高潮。项目评估正在使用地球科学概念清单衡量学生的内容增益;此外，正在评估学生的科学身份和追求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.