| 英文摘要: | Non Technical
Mount Saint Mary?s University (MSMU), a geoscience-limited institution, addresses the need for diversity in geoscience fields, both in academia and in industry, through its IUSE GEOPATHS-EXTRA program. MSMU?s partnership with the University of Southern California (USC) expands environmental and geoscience opportunities for female, underrepresented, low-income, predominantly first-generation college students. Leveraging the STEM capacity of USC and its Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island, the project will generate greater academic interest and awareness among early-level MSMU undergraduates in geoscience and environmental fields. It will also provide participants with the academic and field experience necessary to succeed in advanced degree programs and careers in these fields.
Underrepresented minority university students enter majors in STEM fields at a similar rate to other students, but completion rates are lower (National Academies, 2011). MSMU?s GEOPATHS program provides female, minority, low-income, predominantly first-generation college students with undergraduate hands-on research experiences, active learning in introductory courses, and membership in a STEM learning community aimed at increasing interest in the sciences and improving student outcomes. The GEOPATHS program will recruit early undergraduates at MSMU for year-round catalytic experiences designed to: 1) introduce participants to oceanography and environmental science fields through project-based learning at USC?s marine research station on Catalina Island, 2) conduct field/laboratory studies mentored by faculty and researchers, 3) build expertise and confidence for subsequent participation in national programs and advanced USC courses not available at MSMU, and 4) inform students about geoscience graduate school and workforce opportunities. At the same time, the program will fortify MSMU?s goals to develop an environmental science track for students, develop cross-campus practices between USC and MSMU geoscience programs, and broaden USC?s ongoing initiatives to attract diverse populations into STEM graduate programs. Through these activities, the project intends to contribute significantly to the existing body of knowledge concerning strategies for entraining and retaining underrepresented students in geosciences majors and career paths.
Technical
Research indicates a lack of racial and ethnic diversity in graduate STEM programs and among STEM faculty. In particular, the geosciences are cited as having the lowest diversity of all the STEM fields at all levels of higher education (National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, 2015). In 2010, while 20% of all U.S. bachelor?s degrees were awarded to underrepresented minorities, fewer than 7% of geoscience bachelor?s degrees were awarded to the same groups (Stokes et al., 2014). These statistics highlight the need for creative investments in evidence-based and evidence-generating strategies to broaden geoscience access and improve retention among underrepresented groups. Mount Saint Mary?s University?s (MSMU) GEOPATHS-EXTRA program will expand environmental and geoscience opportunities for underrepresented and predominantly first-generation female college students in Los Angeles, California. This will be accomplished via a sustainable, scalable partnership between MSMU?a minority-serving geosciences-limited 2-year/4-year women's institution?and the University of Southern California (USC)?a large R1 university.
The project will leverage USC?s significant STEM capacity to engage MSMU students in geoscience extracurricular activities, and will evaluate the success of such strategies for entraining and retaining students from a geoscience-limited institution in STEM majors and career paths. The program will enroll 14 MSMU students per annual cohort, directly impacting a total of 42 students?predominately Biological Sciences majors, with priority to first-generation and underrepresented students. Programming at MSMU and USC campuses will be scaffolded to extend MSMU introductory STEM coursework, providing diversified teaching methods and emphasizing 1) early research experiences, 2) active learning, and 3) membership in STEM learning communities. The program will provide students with catalytic experiences to: 1) introduce oceanography and environmental science fields through project based learning at USC's marine station, the Wrigley Marine Science Center ; 2) conduct field/laboratory studies mentored by USC and MSMU faculty and researchers; 3) build expertise and confidence for subsequent participation in national programs and advanced USC courses not available at MSMU; and 4) inform students about geoscience graduate school and workforce opportunities. Assessments will contribute to the knowledge base by 1) documenting the efficacy of project activities on student retention in STEM courses and majors; 2) reinforcing minority STEM identities; 3) promoting peer and professional networks; 4) bridging MSMU's introductory STEM curriculum with external geoscience research opportunities and upper-division USC courses; and 5) enhancing student preparedness and increasing interest in geoscience graduate programs and careers.
MSMU?s GEOPATHS program aims to increase the number and diversity of geoscience-prepared and engaged undergraduates. Furthermore, its broader contribution will be a formalized, scalable and replicable cross-institutional partnership model designed to improve student outcomes and increase interest and success in geoscience careers and graduate study. |