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

该奖项由《2021年美国救援计划法案》(公法117-2)提供全部或部分资金。该项目是前山社区学院(FRCC)和国家科学基金会-地球科学测量设施(大地测量促进地球科学)的运营商UNAVCO合作的项目。Geo-LaunchPad计划旨在通过指导计划、课程和实习，帮助两年制大学(2YC)的学生发现并准备在科学、技术、工程或数学(STEM)领域的职业，特别是地球科学。该计划的重点是让2YC学生通过当地大学和联邦机构合作伙伴获得在地球科学领域的学术机会和职业道路。该项目的设计依赖于教师在整个过程中指导学生。PIs声称，对于学生来说，教师是了解和申请地球科学实习计划的关键因素，特别是在2YC级别，那里通常不提供正规的地球科学专业。在这个为期3年的项目中，教师们参与了以指导学生为重点的专业发展计划。鼓励学生申请地球科学实习，包括通过这个项目提供的实习机会，让学生在准备转到四年制大学时获得宝贵的工作经验。该计划以科罗拉多州、新墨西哥州和怀俄明州的两年制大学教职员工和学生为重点，主要开展三项活动：(1)为学生创造学习地球科学研究和职业的学术课程机会，(2)支持学生进行地球科学实习，(3)与2YC STEM教职员工合作，提高他们对地球科学的认识并提高他们的指导技能。该计划需要进一步与美国地质调查局和三个州地区的社区学院建立合作伙伴关系，并通过全学生指导研讨会增加对教师的支持。结果将被记录下来并公布，并与全美2YC教职员工分享最佳实践。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.