Field-based Undergraduate Research Experiences and Professional Development to Increase Diversity and Inclusion in Conservation and Environmental Sciences

基于实地的本科生研究经验和专业发展，以增加保护和环境科学的多样性和包容性

基本信息

批准号：
1953492
负责人：
Gretchen Hofmann
金额：
$ 203万
依托单位：
University of California-Santa Barbara
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2020
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2020-05-01 至 2025-04-30
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1953492&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Field based Undergraduate Research Experiences

项目摘要

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program, this Track 1 project seeks to serve the national need for a well-prepared and diverse workforce in conservation and environmental sciences. Nationally, there is low diversity among professionals in conservation and environmental science. Increased diversity can support greater innovation in solving a range of environmental problems, many of which will have disproportionate impact on more diverse and often underserved communities. The overarching goal of the project is to create an integrated program that will support inclusive excellence in environmental, conservation, and ecological sciences. To support this aim, the project will implement inclusive mentoring, early and immersive exposure to field-based science and tools, and extensive professional skills development and career experiences. This project expects to increase involvement of students, particularly for Hispanic students, in environmental sciences and contribute knowledge about the importance of field and research experiences in fostering careers in environmental science. The specific aims of the project are to: 1) assist undergraduate students in making critical transitions in progressing towards an environmental sciences career; 2) engage undergraduate students in career and research opportunities in environmental sectors throughout their undergraduate career; 3) foster a sense of identity among students as environmental scientists; and 4) explore how these interventions affect career choice, sense of identity, and perception of the role of environmental science in serving their community. Specifically, this program intends to develop a sequence of research and professional development experiences relevant to conservation and environmental sciences that span all four years of undergraduate education. These experiences will include an intensive research experience, a methods-focused field trip, a career internship, a service-learning experience, as well as mentoring and career exposure. Evaluation components that focus on social and personal identity will be integrated throughout the project activities, so that the project can examine the impact of these efforts both in shaping a student’s sense of identity as a scientist and in improving retention in the STEM ecological sciences workforce. The project will test the hypothesis that early intensive interventions, extensive mentoring, and immersive experiences can overcome existing barriers to participation in environmental science. The project will support the development of courses and a mentoring framework that will persist within the university after the end of the funding, facilitating long-term increased participation of students, particularly Hispanic students, in environmental science. The knowledge generated in this project may also be useful for successful implementation of similar intervention efforts at other locations. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and build capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

在改善本科 STEM 教育：西班牙裔服务机构 (HSI) 计划的支持下，该轨道 1 项目旨在满足国家对保护和环境科学领域准备充分且多样化的劳动力的需求。增加多样性可以支持解决一系列环境问题的更大创新，其中许多问题将对更加多样化且往往服务不足的社区产生不成比例的影响该项目的总体目标是创建一个支持的综合计划。为了支持这一目标，该项目将实施包容性指导、早期沉浸式接触实地科学和工具以及广泛的专业技能发展和职业经验。该项目的具体目标是：1）帮助本科生在环境科学方面实现关键转变。环境科学职业； 2) 让本科生在整个本科生涯中参与环境领域的职业和研究机会；3) 培养学生作为环境科学家的认同感；4) 探索这些干预措施如何影响职业选择、认同感和对环境的看法；具体来说，该计划旨在开发一系列与保护和环境科学相关的研究和专业发展经验，涵盖所有四年的本科教育，这些经验将包括深入的研究经验和方法。 -重点实地考察、职业实习、服务学习经验以及关注社会和个人身份的评估部分将融入整个项目活动，以便该项目能够检验这些努力对塑造学生作为科学家和个人的身份感的影响。该项目将测试这样的假设：早期强化干预、广泛的指导和沉浸式体验可以克服参与环境科学的现有障碍。该项目将支持课程和指导框架的开发。结束后将继续留在大学内该项目产生的知识也可能有助于在其他地方成功实施类似的干预措施，以加强本科生 STEM 的参与。 HSI 计划支持的项目也将产生有关如何实现这些目标的新知识。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。。