Engaging Underrepresented Populations in Biodiversity Sciences: A Series of Workshops for Undergraduate Students

该项目的目标是通过一系列研讨会、指导和影子活动，让本科生，特别是来自代表性不足群体的本科生，参与到关于生物多样性科学机会的讨论中来。正在出现的全球问题，如气候变化、生物多样性丧失、土地和水资源保护以及可持续农业，需要更多地依赖受过生物多样性科学培训和专业知识的劳动力。在四年的时间里，将举办四次研讨会，以增加对生物多样性科学（包括收集科学和有机体、进化、生态和环境生物学）感兴趣的本科生的数量和多样性。招生对象将是当地社区大学、少数民族服务机构和四年制大学。专业协会还将招募美国原住民、阿拉斯加原住民、夏威夷原住民和太平洋岛民、非洲裔美国人和拉丁裔美国学生参加由自然历史博物馆主办的为期两天的研讨会。参加研讨会的本科生将接触到新兴的职业和研究机会，通过以下方式：(1)跟随博物馆专业人员获得藏品科学的实践经验；(2)从不同的研究生和从事生物多样性科学工作的早期职业人士那里了解研究和就业机会；(3)获得实用的建议和个性化的指导，以引导他们的本科经历，并优化他们在生物科学、博物馆研究和生物多样性收藏相关的研究生和职业方面的潜力。在广泛的科学学科中，研究科学家的多样性提供了新的视角和想法，从而产生了新的解决方案并提高了生产力。这一系列研讨会将致力于招收、留住和维持一个更大、更包容、更多样化的本科生群体，他们有能力为新兴科学问题提供创造性的解决方案。研讨会活动将向未被充分代表的本科生介绍自然历史博物馆、生物多样性收藏和基于收藏的研究人员，以此激励和教育他们了解生物多样性科学的机会和丰富的数据资源。

The goal of this project is to engage undergraduates, especially those from underrepresented groups, in a discussion on opportunities in biodiversity sciences thru a series of workshops, mentoring, and shadowing activities. Emerging global issues, such as climate change, loss of biological diversity, land and water resource conservation, and sustainable agriculture, require more reliance on a workforce with training and expertise in biodiversity science. Four workshops will be conducted over a 4-year period to increase the number and diversity of undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in biodiversity science (including collections science and organismal, evolutionary, ecological, and environmental biology). Student recruitment will target students from local community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and four-year colleges and universities. Professional societies will also be enlisted to recruit Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, African Americans, and Latino American students to participate in two-day workshops hosted by natural history museums. Undergraduate students participating in the workshops will be exposed to emerging careers and research opportunities by: (1) shadowing museum professionals to get hands-on experience in collections science; (2) learning about research and career opportunities from diverse graduate students and early career professionals pursuing careers in biodiversity science; and (3) getting practical advice and individualized mentoring to navigate their undergraduate experience and optimize their potential for graduate school and careers related to biological sciences, museum studies, and biodiversity collections. Across a broad range of scientific disciplines, diversity in research scientists has provided new perspectives and ideas leading to novel solutions and increased productivity. This series of workshops will work to recruit, retain, and sustain a larger, more inclusive, and diverse, undergraduate population of students equipped to engage in creative solutions for emerging science questions. Workshop activities will introduce underrepresented populations of undergraduate students to natural history museums, biodiversity collections, and collections-based researchers as a means to inspire and educate them in opportunities and data rich resources in biodiversity science.