Collaborative Research: GP-UP: Geo-Launchpad: Engaging Community College Students in Geoscience-STEM Career Pathways

该奖项全部或部分由《2021年美国救援计划法案》（公法117-2）资助。该项目是Front Range社区学院（FRCC）和UNAVCO（美国国家科学基金会-地球科学GAGE设施的运营商）之间的合作。Geo-Launchpad项目旨在通过指导项目、课程和实习，帮助两年制大学（2YC）的学生发现科学、技术、工程或数学（STEM）领域的职业并为之做好准备，尤其是地球科学领域。该计划的重点是通过当地大学和联邦机构合作伙伴，让2YC学生在地球科学领域获得学术机会和职业发展道路。课程设计依靠教师来指导学生完成这个过程。pi断言，教师是学生了解和申请地球科学实习项目的关键因素，特别是在2YC级别，因为通常没有正式的地球科学专业。在这个为期3年的项目中，教师将参与专业发展项目，重点是指导学生。我们鼓励学生申请地球科学实习，包括这个项目提供的实习机会，让学生在准备转入四年制大学时获得宝贵的工作经验。该项目以科罗拉多州、新墨西哥州和怀俄明州的两年制大学教师和学生为重点，主要开展三项活动：(1)为学生提供学习地球科学研究和职业的学术课程机会；(2)为学生提供地球科学实习机会；(3)与2YC STEM教师合作，提高他们对地球科学的认识，提高他们的指导技能。该项目需要进一步与美国地质调查局和三州地区的社区学院建立伙伴关系，并通过“全体学生指导研讨会”增加对教师的支持。结果将被记录并公开，并与美国各地的2YC教师分享最佳实践。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).This project is a collaboration between Front Range Community College (FRCC) and UNAVCO, operator of the National Science Foundation-Earth Sciences GAGE Facility (Geodesy Advancing Geosciences). The Geo-Launchpad program is designed to help students from two-year colleges (2YC) discover and prepare for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), in particular, the geosciences, though mentoring programs, curriculum, and internships. The program focuses on involving 2YC students in academic opportunities and career paths in geosciences through local university and federal agency partners. The program design relies on faculty to mentor students through this process. The PIs assert that faculty are a critical element to students being aware of and applying to internship programs in the geosciences, especially at the 2YC level where formal geoscience majors are often not offered. During this 3-year project, faculty participate in professional development programs focused on mentoring students. Students are encouraged to apply to geoscience internships including one offered through this program, allowing students to gain valuable work experience as they prepare to transfer to a four-year college. Focusing on two-year college faculty and students in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, the program engages in three primary activities: (1) creating academic course opportunities for students to learn about geoscience research and careers, (2) supporting students with a geoscience internship and, (3) working with 2YC STEM faculty to increase their awareness of geosciences and improve their mentoring skills. The program entails further building partnerships with the United States Geological Survey and community colleges across the three-state area, as well as increasing support of faculty through a Whole Student Mentoring workshop. Results will be documented and made public, with best practices shared with 2YC faculty across the United States.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.