NSF-ATE: Partnership for Advanced Marine and Environmental Science Training for Pacific Islanders

太平洋岛屿是一个特殊的自然实验室，拥有高度多样化和独特的珊瑚礁和陆地生态系统，由于不断变化的全球环境条件、发展压力以及过度捕捞和沿海污染的影响，这些生态系统已经受到高度的压力和退化。群岛及其人口的未来取决于当地资源管理者、决策者和利益攸关方的技术技能和知识。该项目将提供获得准确和充分技术信息的关键途径，以加强地方高等教育机构的能力。地方机构、企业和利益攸关方的投入确定了社区大学毕业生填补政府、非政府组织社区和私营部门职位所需的关键技术技能。 这些学生将培养强大的STEM相关技能，进入美国大陆的技术相关领域的劳动力，并成功地攻读四年制和研究生学位。该项目将加强太平洋岛屿五所少数民族服务社区学院的海洋和环境科学教育：美属萨摩亚社区学院、密克罗尼西亚联邦学院、马歇尔群岛学院、北方马里亚纳学院和帕劳社区学院。 该项目将支持相关课程的编制、学院教师的专业发展、学生的实习和实地经验，并加强参与机构的科学基础设施。重点将放在岛屿生态系统和气候科学上，活动将包括为教师提供高级培训，使其课程现代化，扩大使用新工具和技术，并支持学生实习和研究经验。

The Pacific Islands are an exceptional natural laboratory, with highly diverse and unique coral reef and terrestrial ecosystems that are already under elevated levels of stress and degradation due to the effects of changing global environmental conditions, development pressures, and the effects of overfishing and coastal pollution. The future of the Islands and their populations depends on the technical skills and knowledge available to local resource managers, policy makers and stakeholders. This project will provide critical access to accurate and adequate technical information to strengthen the capacity of the local institutions of higher education. Input from local agencies, businesses and stakeholders have identified key technological skills needed by community college graduates to fill positions within the governments, NGO community and private sector. These students will develop strong STEM-related skills to enter the U.S. Mainland workforce in technology related fields and to successfully pursue 4-year and graduate degrees.This project will enhance marine and environmental science education at the five minority-serving community colleges of the Pacific Islands: American Samoa Community College, the College of Micronesia - FSM, the College of the Marshall Islands, Northern Marianas College, and Palau Community College. The project will support relevant curriculum development, the professional development of the college faculty, internships and field experiences for students, and strengthen the scientific infrastructure of the participating institutions. The focus will be on island ecosystems and climate science, and activities will include advanced training for faculty to modernize their courses, expanded use of new tools and technologies, and support for student internships and research experiences.