This commentary examines the use of Spanish-English bilingual geosciences communication within the United States as a way to broaden information about the discipline and inspire youth to develop a passion for STEM careers.

NOVA interviewed a geoscientist to inquiry about the diversity gap within the geosciences. The geoscientist outlines reasons such as limited opportunities to take geoscience courses in high school as well as limited exposure to earth sciences knowledge through field trips, museum visits or outdoor activities. 

The author of this blog explains how limited exposure to the outdoors as a youth, might be a contributing factor for the lack of representation of underrepresented minorities in the geosciences. 

Researchers participated in a week long field experience for high school students to increase the pipeline of diverse students into the geosciences major.  Surveys were conducted with students and their parents to understand what the participants had learned about geosciences. About 56% of respondents indicated an interest in majoring in the geosciences. Findings indicate that early exposure to the geosciences increases interest in the major.

The geosciences benefit from diverse student perspectives and backgrounds, but the field-based learning requirements pose barriers to students with disabilities. If carefully designed, fieldwork can be made accessible while still meeting expectations of academic rigour.

The geosciences are considered by many to be inaccessible to individuals with disabilities. Challenging traditional perceptions of identity in the geosci- ence community is an important step to removing barriers for students and geoscientists with diverse physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities, and to broadening entry into the myriad fields that make up the discipline. Geoscien- tists’ views of the extent to which a disability would inhibit access to a geo- science career were probed through three separate studies.

Students with physical disabilities encounter challenges in any scientific discipline, yet the geosciences have extremely low participation levels for persons with dis- abilities. Because of the emphasis placed on field research at the undergraduate level, persons with mobility impairments face limited opportunities for progressing in the geosciences. One strategy to address this is the application of adaptive technologies, such as virtual field trips (VFTs), as a supplement to traditional field instruction.

The geosciences continue to lag behind the other sciences in both diversity and degree completion rates of students transferring from two-year colleges (2YCs). Critical to strengthening the transfer student pipeline is the need to identify who takes introductory geosciences courses at the 2YC level and what factors contribute to increased 2YC student transfer intent for those interested in pursuing geoscience degrees.

We describe our efforts at building programs in Earth and space science over the past decade at four Minority Institutions, Medgar Evers College, Norfolk State University, South Carolina State University and the University of Houston-Downtown. We present our institutional models of success and programmatic outcomes as well as barriers to success and lessons learned. The unique path to success for each school is described, along with experiences common among all four.

Native American nations in the United States have a unique legal status that is rooted in a complex relationship between the United States federal government, individual state and local governments and tribal authorities. Although geosciences are often at the center of these relationships, especially as they pertain to the development of natural resources, tribal economics, and environmental stewardship, Native Americans remain severely underrepresented in advanced geoscience education.