GP-IMPACT: Geosciences Streamlined Pipeline And Research for Community Colleges (Geo-SPARCC)

增加对STEM（科学，技术，工程和数学）的参与是国家关注的一个领域，特别是因为STEM学科的入学率和STEM劳动力的发展跟不上需求。在地球科学中尤其如此，缺乏多样性使问题更加复杂。密西西比州立大学（MSU）的地球科学流线型管道和社区学院研究（Geo-SPARCC）通过与该州的社区学院合作填补了地球科学意识和教育的空白。密西西比是一个拥有强大社区学院系统的农村州，招收了超过75，000名学生，其中约42%来自代表性不足的群体（大多数是非洲裔美国人）。密西西比州立大学与琼斯县初级学院合作，开发引人入胜的地质学入门课程在线版本，通过密西西比的虚拟社区学院联盟向所有社区学院的学生提供。Geo-SPARCC项目还开发了一个电子辅导网络，以招募社区学院学生考虑地球科学学位和职业，并促进他们转入四年制大学。MS虚拟社区学院联盟促进Geo-SPARCC的可持续性，并有可能帮助显著增加地球科学领域服务不足和代表性不足的人口数量。（Geo-SPARCC）项目提议密西西比州立大学（MSU）和密西西比的社区学院（CC）合作通过在线指导和电子辅导，开发从2年制到4年制院校的途径。Geo-SPARCC将1）通过在线物理/历史地质学课程吸引/招募CC学生参与地球科学; 2）在在线课程中提供个性化的研究和现场机会;和3）在MSU地球科学教师/研究生和CC学生之间开发电子辅导/社交媒体计划。琼斯县初级学院（JCJC）是Geo-SPARCC项目的牵头CC，将通过密西西比虚拟社区学院（MVCC）提供Geo-SPARCC的在线地质课程，为所有15个密西西比CC的学生以及MS高中学生提供双招生课程。Geo-SPARCC在线课程将包括个性化的研究/现场组件，学生可以进行独立的研究和地质勘探，并有机会参加MSU地球科学领导的实地考察。在线课程设计中包含的职业视频小插曲将向学生介绍地球科学就业机会。Geo-SPARCC还为CC学生提供了定向个人学习研究的机会，这些机会可以在密西西比科学院年会上以学生演讲而告终。由于Geo-SPARCC在线课程将由JCJC通过MSVCC永久提供，因此可持续性得到保证，MSU与JCJC在Geo-SPARCC项目之外合作，提供有证书的兼职讲师教授在线课程。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Increased participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is an area of national concern, especially as enrollment in STEM disciplines and development of the STEM workforce is not keeping pace with the need. This is particularly true in the geosciences where the lack of diversity compounds the problem. This Geosciences Streamlined Pipeline And Research for Community Colleges (Geo-SPARCC) at Mississippi State University (MSU) fills a gap in the awareness of and education in the geosciences through collaboration with the State's community colleges. Mississippi is a rural state with a strong community college system, enrolling greater than 75,000 students, ~42% from underrepresented groups (majority African American). Mississippi State University collaborates with Jones County Junior College to develop engaging online versions of introductory geology courses, which will be available to all community college students through Mississippi's Virtual Community College Consortium. The Geo-SPARCC project also develops an e-mentoring network to recruit community college students to consider geosciences degrees and careers, and facilitate their transfer into a 4-year university. The MS Virtual Community College Consortium fosters sustainability of Geo-SPARCC and has the potential to help significantly increase the number of underserved and underrepresented populations in the geosciences.The Geosciences Streamlined Pipeline And Research for Community Colleges (Geo-SPARCC) project proposes a collaboration between Mississippi State University (MSU) and Mississippi's community colleges (CCs) to develop a pathway from 2 year to 4 year institutions via online instruction and e-mentoring. Geo-SPARCC will 1) interest/recruit CC students in geosciences through engaging online physical/historical geology courses; 2) provide individualized research and field opportunities within online courses; and 3) develop an e-mentoring/social media program between MSU Geosciences faculty/graduate students and CC students. Jones County Junior College (JCJC), the lead CC on the Geo-SPARCC project, will make Geo-SPARCC's online geology courses available through the Mississippi Virtual Community College (MSVCC), providing access for students at all 15 Mississippi CCs as well as MS high school students in dual enrollment courses. The Geo-SPARCC online courses will include personalized research/field components where students conduct independent research and geocaching, and opportunities to participate in MSU Geosciences-led field excursions. Career video vignettes included in the online course design will introduce students to geosciences employment opportunities. Geo-SPARCC further provides CC students with directed individual study research opportunities that can culminate in student presentations at the Mississippi Academy of Science annual conference. Sustainability is ensured since the Geo-SPARCC online courses will be offered in perpetuity by JCJC through the MSVCC, with MSU collaborating with JCJC beyond the Geo-SPARCC project to provide credentialed adjunct instructors to teach the online courses.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.