Broadening Participation in the Geosciences

Time and time again, the geosciences has come up as one of the least diverse of all the STEM fields.  I had the opportunity to be part of a collaborative GEOPATHS grant with University of Texas, Austin, Michigan State University, and Auburn University looking at the impacts of UT's GeoFORCE program on its participants.  GeoFORCE is a program that targets high school students who are part of underrepresented groups in Houston and Southwest Texas.  Starting during the summer of their 8th grade year, students participate in summer academies in sites of geologic interest across the country every summer up til they graduate.  My part of the project involved both program evaluation components but also used student interview data to understand perceptions of geoscientists, sense of belonging, and barriers to participation.  I have also begun working with colleagues in this program to study the effects that different teaching strategies have on both learning outcomes and student affect.  Results of this research have been presented at GSA, AGU, and the Earth Educators' Rendezvous