GEOPATHS-IMPACT: Geosciences Opportunities with Fossils, Rocks, &Water to Attract underRepresented Discoverers (GO FoRWARD)

在所有STEM领域中，地球科学的学生和劳动力人口是种族和民族多样性最低的。增加未被充分代表的群体在地球科学中的参与不仅是社会的必要条件，通过劳动力中更多样化的观点对更好的社会有内在的好处，而且是地球科学学科前景的必要条件，因为预计在未来十年中将出现熟练科学家的短缺。地球科学专业的学生人数极低，这可能反映了地球科学学科在其他STEM领域之外存在障碍。该项目通过在威斯康星州密尔沃基市的两个合作机构（一所城市研究型大学和一所两年制技术学院）开展试点项目，解决了其中的一些障碍。来自代表性不足群体的早期职业大学生将被邀请参加地球科学研究机会、社区发展以及有关公共和私营部门工作的教育，同时接受教师和更高级学生的密切指导。这个项目的主要目标有两个：1)增加来自代表性不足的少数群体的学生选择地球科学专业的人数，2)为两年制大学的学生进入邻近的四年制大学学习地球科学专业铺平道路。第二部分go FoRWARD（利用化石、岩石和水来吸引未被充分代表的发现者的地球科学机会）是一项针对未被充分代表的少数民族学生在大学头两年探索地球科学研究和职业选择的倡议。这两个紧密合作的机构是威斯康星大学密尔沃基分校和密尔沃基地区技术学院。地球科学领域代表性不足的人数不足可归因于几个障碍，包括缺乏对该学科的了解；刻板印象威胁;还有冒名顶替综合症。GO FoRWARD的目标是通过将五个经过验证的策略整合到整个项目活动中来帮助减轻这些障碍：1)早期接触地球科学；2)重视就业；3)动态体验；4)营造社区意识；5)强有力的指导。另外两项策略将用于进一步促进学生从大学预科课程到四年制大学的学术过渡：1)有针对性的建议；2)平滑教育路径。学生将被邀请参加密集的夏季地球科学研究体验和整个学年的后续研究选择。职业信息和社区建设将在整个项目中整合，以解决障碍。GO FoRWARD试点研究的成功将取决于学生在项目各个阶段的参与情况，以及未被充分代表的少数族裔学生在其他地球科学课程和学位课程中的参与情况。该试点项目将测试是否可以修改其他STEM领域采用的策略，并用于吸引代表性不足的学习者进入地球科学学位课程和职业。

Part 1Of all STEM fields, the geosciences student and workforce populations are the least racially and ethnically diverse. Increasing participation of underrepresented groups in the geosciences is not only a social imperative with inherent benefits to better society through more diverse perspectives in the workforce, but it is a necessity for the prospect of the geosciences discipline which has a predicted shortage of skilled scientists within the next decade.The extremely low numbers of underrepresented students majoring in geosciences may be a reflection that the geosciences disciplines have barriers beyond other STEM fields. This project addresses some of those barriers through a pilot project at two partner institutions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: an urban research university and a two-year technical college. Early career college students from underrepresented groups will be invited to participate in geosciences research opportunities, community development, and education about public- and private-sector jobs while receiving close mentoring from faculty and more advanced students. The primary goals of this program are twofold: 1) to increase the numbers of students from underrepresented minority groups selecting geosciences majors, and 2) to smooth a pathway for students from a two-year college to become geosciences majors at a neighboring 4 year institution. Part 2GO FoRWARD (Geosciences Opportunities with Fossils, Rocks, & Water to Attract underRepresented Discoverers) is an initiative for underrepresented minority students in their first two years of college to explore geosciences research and career options. The two institutions working closely together are the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Milwaukee Area Technical College. The paucity of underrepresented persons in the geosciences can be attributed to several barriers, including lack of exposure to the discipline; stereotype threat; and imposter syndrome. The aim of GO FoRWARD is to help mitigate these impediments via five proven strategies which are integrated throughout the project activities: 1) Early exposure to Geosciences; 2) Emphasis on employment; 3) Dynamic experiences; 4) Creating a sense of community; and 5) Strong mentorship. Two additional strategies will be utilized to further facilitate the academic transition for students from MATC to a four-year institution: 1) targeted advising; and 2) smoothing educational pathways. Students will be invited to participate in an intensive summer geosciences research experience and follow-up research options throughout the academic year. Career information and community building will be integrated throughout the program to address barriers.Success for the GO FoRWARD pilot study will be determined by student participation at various stages of the project and documented participation of underrepresented minority student participants in additional geosciences courses and degree programs. This pilot project will test whether strategies employed in other STEM fields can be modified and used to attract underrepresented learners to geosciences degree programs and careers.