| 英文摘要: | Recruiting, engaging, and retaining undergraduate students in STEM disciplines, including geoscience and affiliated fields, is a major educational challenge in the nation's colleges and universities. As part of Binghamton University's Freshman Research Immersion (FRI) program, a team of five science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) faculty across the geology, biology and environmental studies disciplines are using the multi- disciplinary field of biogeochemistry to engage students early in their college years in research applicable to geoscience careers. Biogeochemistry investigates the interconnection of biological, geological, and chemical processes. Modern and ancient lake and ocean sediments, the atmosphere, watersheds and wetlands provide field sites and samples for the biogeochemistry research. The biogeochemistry research stream consists of a three course sequence: 1) a research methods course during the fall semester, 2) followed by training in analytical techniques during the spring semester that 3) culminates in completion of a research project the following fall. Funding is being provided for some of the FRI students to engage in hands-on, outdoor, field based components of their research projects during the summer between the spring and fall. This approach allows students to develop projects that incorporate and evaluate seasonality components critical to the understanding of many biogeochemical processes. As a part of the outreach program, high school educators and several of their students participate in a summer workshop where they learn about FRI opportunities through direct interaction with the FRI students, faculty and staff. In turn, the FRI students and their achievements are being used to develop an outreach program that includes visits to high schools and community colleges. Consequently, this program is working to increase the numbers and diversity of students trained in Geosciences, thus meeting a crucial national need within a STEM discipline.
The Freshman Research Immersion (FRI) program is supporting a cohort of 25-30 Biogeochemistry students each year. The biogeochemistry experience begins with a research methods course that emphasizes quantitative reasoning, scientific communication and a semester-long literature review to identify research topics in biogeochemistry. The first half of the spring semester, students learn analytical techniques applicable to biogeochemistry research; by the second half of the spring, they begin their research project. In the fall of sophomore year, students have an entire second semester to continue working on their research project. The biogeochemistry stream has a dedicated laboratory equipped for research, and a PhD-trained research educator who oversees the students, graduate teaching assistant and undergraduate peer mentors. The FRI program features a combination of the multiple components. A team of faculty members with well-established research programs designs and oversees the freshman research themes. The research themes explicitly address core concepts and core skills of the geosciences. The participating freshmen develop electronic-portfolios documenting their research experiences and understanding of the process of science, which they build upon throughout their college years. Students take a sequence of courses that emphasize teamwork, thus provides explicit training to undergraduates on how to work in research teams. The students are exposed to interdisciplinary research (IDR) and engage in multiple opportunities to develop IDR skills. The biogeochemistry research projects generate spin-off research modules that are being infused into other courses; as a result, authentic research experiences eventually will be provided in regular science courses, contributing to improved engagement, learning and retention in the sciences. The undergraduates' research activities are expected to result in students being co-authors of presentations and peer-reviewed articles. Assessment activities are documenting the impacts of the stepped, multi-mentored research experience of the FRI program for undergraduates considering a career in geosciences. |