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…
Decades of science education research have provided us with a variety of tools to deal with the cognitive processes behind our students’ learning. However, we have placed much less attention on student affect, the feelings,…
An effective partnership with Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) has been established with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Building on a commitment to increase…
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.
Geoscience faces dual recruiting challenges: a pending workforce shortage and a lack of diversity. Already suffering from low visibility, geoscience does not resemble the makeup of the general population in terms of either race/…
Geoscience education researchers are working to understand how we can most effectively increase our overall geoscience workforce capacity. The present study employed an inductive approach to explore the critical experiences that…
Summer programs are a common strategy for increasing interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers among K-12 students. Here we report four years of results from a two-week program designed to expose…
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…
Place-based education is locally situated, experiential, and transdisciplinary. It is informed not only by scientific knowledge of places and regions, but also by the humanistic meanings and affective attachments (senses of place)…
This article presents an assessment of a field camp experience that focuses on a more relevant curriculum for the students being served today. These efforts are being made to impact the declining numbers of students interested in geoscience majors.
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…
Meeting the future demand for a qualified geoscience workforce will require efforts to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation of an increasingly diverse student body. Doing this successfully requires renewed attention to…
This is a case study of an NSF funded program to increase participation in STEM and geosciences for American Indian students. Culturally relevant practices were utilized such as the Circle of learning, a conceptual framework that emphasizes trust and relationship building between researchers,…
The authors discus the role geographic perspectives can play in creating access for participation in STEM. A case study highlighted in the article presents practical initiatives such as job and career networking, as an avenue for nurturing diversity and encouraging instructors to present…
This article studies the effect of an Earth systems Science for All program intervention. This intervention was aimed at cultivating a sense of success and developing cognitive skills among students in classes with a dominant…
The University of New Orleans (UNO), Department of Earth and Environmental Science has been successfully recruiting minority geoscience students since 1974. The basis for that program is a field trip for high school students…
We describe the Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge program as a successful model for effective partnerships with minority-serving institutions toward significantly broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in the…
In order to assess the effectiveness of projects intended to increase the participation of members of traditionally underrepresented groups in geoscience careers, short-term indicators of "success" must be identified and developed…
The MS PHD'S Program facilitates the involvement of minority undergraduate and graduate Earth system science students in a series of activities designed to: (1) increase exposure to and engagement in the Earth system science…
This study augments existing literature in understanding student perceptions about the geosciences; we examined the choice of major and science courses taken by 645 students at a large southeastern research university. Differences…
The NASA and NSF-funded Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science® Professional Development Program (MS PHD'S PDP) initiative provides professional development and mentoring experiences that…