Increasing Participation of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in STEM: a workshop focused on removing barriers to participation.; June 1 - June 2, 2016; Honolulu, HI

作为一个群体，太平洋岛民和夏威夷人在大学入学和STEM职业生涯中都是代表性最低的少数民族之一。该奖项将支持将于2016年6月1日至2日在夏威夷大学(UH)举办的为期两天的研讨会，以回答两个关键问题：(1)夏威夷人和太平洋岛民STEM培训和职业生涯的主要障碍是什么；以及(2)如何减少这些障碍并增加参与度？参加研讨会的将是来自夏威夷和中太平洋的密歇根大学和其他两年制和四年制学院的教师，在指导太平洋岛民进入STEM学习和职业方面经验丰富的本科生导师，以及刚刚从夏威夷大学毕业并获得STEM相关职业的毕业生。加州大学的两名在扩大教育多样性方面有专长的专业人员将为STEM中代表人数不足的群体提供背景。预计，由于岛屿群体之间的文化差异，解决办法可能会有所不同，因此将给予充分的时间进行讨论，以揭示这种差异。讲习班结束时，将汇编一份有说明的文件，其中总结了为夏威夷人和太平洋岛民减少STEM教育和职业障碍的建议，以便通过网站和侧重于这些问题的期刊进行传播。预期这份文件将有助于教授夏威夷人和太平洋岛民的STEM知识，特别是生物科学方面的知识。对夏威夷人和太平洋岛民进行STEM领域的培训将使他们能够积极参与设计解决岛民因气候变化而面临的许多问题的方案。拟议中的研讨会将为太平洋各地大学的一群教职员工提供更深入的见解，了解他们的学生在STEM职业生涯中参与度不足的原因。研讨会的参与者将更好地了解如何克服上大学和在其大学接受STEM培训的障碍。新的培训方法将增加在STEM领域受过良好培训的学生数量。希望这次研讨会将激励夏威夷和太平洋岛民教师实施更好的战略，让这群学生参与STEM职业生涯。STEM培训将使太平洋岛民能够在涉及环境保护、渔业、农业和发展的机构竞争当地就业机会。该项目得到了美国国家科学基金会生物科学局生物基础设施部的支持。

As a group, Pacific Islanders and Hawaiians constitute one of the most significantly under-represented minorities in both college enrollment and STEM careers. This award will support a two-day workshop to be convened at the University of Hawaii (UH), on June 1-2, 2016, to answer two crucial questions: (1) what are the major barriers to STEM training and careers for Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders; and (2) what can be done to reduce these barriers and increase participation? Taking part in the workshop will be faculty from UH and other 2-year and 4-year-colleges in Hawaii and across the central Pacific Ocean, undergraduate advisors who are experienced in guiding Pacific Islanders into STEM studies and careers, and recent graduates of the University of Hawaii who have achieved STEM-relevant careers. Two professionals from the University of California with expertise in expanding diversity in education will provide a context for underrepresentation of groups in STEM. It is anticipated that solutions may differ because of cultural differences between island groups, so sufficient time will be given for discussions that reveal such differences. At the end of the workshop, an annotated document that summarizes recommendations for reducing barriers to STEM education and careers for Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders will be assembled for dissemination via websites and a journal focusing on such issues. It is anticipated that such document will be useful to faculty who mentor Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in STEM, specifically those in the biosciences.Training Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in STEM fields will allow them to actively engage in devising solutions to the many problems faced by the islanders due to climate change. The proposed workshop will provide a group of faculty and staff at colleges across the Pacific with deepened insights about the causes of under-participation of their students in STEM careers. Participants in the workshop will be better informed about how to overcome barriers to college attendance and STEM training at their colleges. New training approaches will increase the number of students well trained in STEM fields. It is hoped that this workshop will inspire Hawaiian and Pacific Islander faculty to implement better strategies for engaging this group of students in STEM careers. STEM training will allow Pacific Islanders to compete for local employment in agencies involved with environmental protection, fisheries, agriculture and development. This project is supported by the Division of Biological Infrastructure in the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences.