GP-EXTRA: Geoscience Engagement and Outreach (GEO) – High-Impact Integrated Academic and Professional Experiences
Funding provided by the National Science Foundation September 15 2015 – August 31 2019.
Project PI: Dr. Heidi Lannon, Santa Fe College ICER1540729; Co-PIs: Brandan Lanman, Orlando Science Center, Bobby Hom, Santa Fe College
Collaborative Project PI: Dr. Kathryn Stofer, University of Florida ICER1540724; Co-PIs: Jasmeet Judge and Corene Matyas, University of Florida
Overview:
Few students enter undergraduate programs understanding what the geosciences are or that they are part of STEM. Yet high-paying, high-demand jobs in geosciences and the need for diversity in these fields means these students, especially those at two-year institutions, may miss an opportunity to put their interests in science to work if they do not make the connection. In turn, undergraduate research programs also need to recruit from populations that are not intending to pursue science. Our project therefore proposes a collaboration among Santa Fe College (SF), a two-year teaching institution in North Central Florida, the University of Florida (UF), a four-year research institution, and the Orlando Science Center (OSC), a non-profit informal education and outreach venue. The Geoscience Engagement and Outreach (GEO) project will offer students authentic geoscience research experiences explicitly integrated with practical applications and scaffolded by classroom work. GEO’s three phases of seminar-style teaching, research mentoring with outreach project development and delivery, and a culminating capstone experience will scaffold the program elements into an emerging geoscience associates degree at Santa Fe College. Using a cohort system engaging six students annually, built on peer- and supervisor-mentoring and collaborations among three institutions, GEO will recruit underrepresented populations to and support their retention in geosciences fields. Exposure to and skill-building for careers will prepare students to meet future employers’ expectations. Authentic research will be in the geoscience subdisciplines of meteorology, soil hydrology, and geoscience and STEM education. Finally, the project will assist GEO cohort students in completing their two-year degree and transferring to a four-year geosciences program, prepared to continue and thrive alongside their four-year institution peers.
Intellectual Merit:
The three UF-led research projects will each contribute to their respective geoscience subdisciplines: geoscience education research, atmospheric research, and soil hydrology research. Evaluation of the project will measure not only student content gain using the Geoscience Concept Inventory, but also science identity increase and geoscience career interest increase. Finally, by understanding the potential of this cross-institutional, integrated research and education experience for retaining diverse students in geosciences, we will contribute to the literature on STEM recruitment and retention. The project will also increase the number and caliber of faculty available to mentor undergraduates and foster continued education in geosciences.
Broader Impacts:
All GEO students will be performing outreach with a diverse public audiences through OSC Otronicon and ongoing education activities. This impact on visitors will be evaluated by the GEO students through instruments developed by PI Stofer (UF) and PI Lanman (OSC). Other graduate and undergraduate students who work with the UF investigators and GEO students will be impacted by learning about collaboration for outreach, evaluated by UF faculty through evaluations with their students. High school summer volunteers at OSC will benefit from meeting GEO students who are further along in their careers; this impact will be evaluated by Co-I Lynn (OSC) in end-of-summer debriefing. Thirty teachers each year will benefit from the project activities created for classrooms; teachers will be evaluated during OSC professional development. Through the collaborative activities, project investigators will benefit from learning about the science outreach process with public audiences. This impact will be evaluated by interviews conducted by the GEO advisory board and the GEOPATHS portfolio NSF evaluation.
Project Goals:
- GOAL A – Recruit, retain, and transfer primarily underrepresented Santa Fe College students in a two-year Associates degree to Bachelor’s degree programs in geosciences.
- GOAL B – Establish collaborations among Santa Fe College students, University of Florida faculty mentors, and Orlando Science Center informal science educators.
- GOAL C – Increase interest in careers in geosciences by engaging in education and outreach.
Project Design:
Following student recruitment in the fall semester, a six-student cohort for GEO will start each year in January in a three-phase program:
- Phase I – Spring Semester – Orientation and Initial Research Collaboration (Goal A, B, C)
- Phase II – Summer – Research, Education, and Outreach at Orlando Science Center (Goal B, C)
- Phase III – Fall Semester – Capstone Experience and Project Wrap-up (Goal A, B, C)