Virtual Tools to Broaden Participation in the Earth and Space Sciences through Geolead (Geoscience Learning, Engagement And Development)

Abstract:

Professional societies, along with federal agencies, national research centers and laboratories, academic institutions, and private industry, all play a key role in educating the next generation of Earth, ocean, atmospheric, and space scientists by offering programs and opportunities that attract students to the field, engage and retain them by supporting them through their formal education, and provide training for a career in this field. Research indicates that multiple engagement opportunities, such as mentoring, internships, participation in research, and learning communities, among other interventions, increase student success. This is particularly true for first-generation students and those who are members of underrepresented minority populations. However, it is often difficult to provide such a variety of programs at a significant scale, especially for geographically isolated students and those whose schools have fewer resources. To enable this, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) is convening a coalition of organizations to co-design and implement a concept called Geoscience Learning, Engagement And Development (GeoLEAD).

GeoLEAD will provide a virtual platform as well as a collaborative infrastructure to help engage, retain, and prepare two- and four-year-college undergraduate Earth, ocean, atmospheric, and space science students (including those students who are interested in becoming majors) for the workforce. It will centralize access to the vast array of already existing programs and services that are currently scattered across multiple organizations, support the development of new services and programs, and simplify the search process by recommending bundles of programs and services based on the students’ profiles and interests. This presentation will highlight the research that led to the development of the GeoLEAD concept, including studies of the ways in which undergraduates use online resources for their education. Additionally, other virtual resources for students that are in the development or implementation stage, such as an online poster competition and a virtual student conference, will be discussed.