Collaborative Research: GP-UP: Developing STEM Identity by Engaging URM Undergraduate Students in Research on Air Pollution in Chicago Communities

该奖项的全部或部分资金来自《2021年美国救援计划法案》(公共法律117-2)。地球科学学习社区将帮助来自历史上被排除在外的社区的学生通过真实的研究经验、指导和对地球科学职业的介绍来建立他们的STEM身份。学生将学习空气污染，获得仪器经验，练习计算机编程和数据分析，并通过参与具有亲社会影响的实际研究来交流科学成果。该项目针对GEOPAths计划的三个目标：(1)增加地球科学学生的数量和多样性；(2)使学生为地球科学职业生涯做好准备；以及(3)为学生在STEM中有效参与、学习和保留提供证据基础。通过这个项目收集的数据将具有足够的质量，有助于社区讨论如何最好地减少空气污染和更好地保护公众健康，特别是在脆弱的社区。该项目试图采用几个既定的循证战略，帮助来自历史上被排斥的社区的学生取得成功。对STEM学生成功的关注将包括真实的合作本科生研究体验，持续的指导，以及与社区利益直接联系的研究参与。通过结合真实的亲社会研究和指导，PI旨在在两组学生中建立归属感、自我效能感和STEM认同感，并帮助他们成功过渡到与地球科学相关的STEM项目。这个项目特别建议创建地球科学学习社区，让来自历史上被排除在外的社区的本科生参与研究，以测量和归类芝加哥两个社区的空气污染，这两个社区的社会经济地位、人口统计数据和工业设施的邻近程度都不同。PIS将在Loyola招募一批本科生参与者，以加入该项目每年一年级和二年级的研究密集型学习社区。学生参与者将与科学家和社区组织密切合作，设计和开展研究，解决社区对空气污染的担忧。该项目的目标是1)为学生参与者提供实用的、与社会相关的研究体验；2)了解芝加哥的颗粒物污染如何在空间和时间上变化；3)提供空气质量数据供社区使用。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).The geoscience learning community will help students from historically excluded communities build their STEM identity through authentic research experience, mentoring, and introduction to geosciences careers. Students will learn about air pollution, gain experience with instrumentation, practice computer programing and data analysis, and communicate scientific results by participating in real research with prosocial impact. This project addresses three GEOPAths Program goals: (1) increase the number and diversity of students in geosciences; 2) prepare students for geoscience careers; and 3) contribute to the evidence base for effective student engagement, learning, and retention in STEM. The data collected through this project will be of sufficient quality to contribute to community discussions about how best to reduce air pollution and better protect public health, particularly within vulnerable communities.This project seeks to employ several established evidence-based strategies for the success of students from historically excluded communities. A focus on student success in STEM will include authentic collaborative undergraduate research experiences, sustained mentorship, and engagement in research with a direct link to community benefit. By combining authentic prosocial research and mentoring, the PIs aim to build a sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and STEM identity in two cohorts of students and help with their successful transitions to STEM programs related to the earth sciences. This project specifically proposes to create geoscience learning community that engages undergraduate students from historically excluded communities in research to measure and attribute air pollution in two Chicago neighborhoods that differ in socioeconomic status, demographics, and proximity to industrial facilities. The PIs will recruit a cohort of undergraduate participants at Loyola to join a research-intensive learning community each of Year 1 and Year 2 of the project. Student participants will work closely with scientists and the community-based organizations to design and carry out research that addresses community concerns about air pollution. The Project's aims are to 1) provide an applied, socially relevant research experience for student participants; 2) understand how particulate pollution in Chicago varies over space and time; and 3) provide air quality data for community use.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.