ED22A:
Strategies, Best Practices, Successes, and Lessons Learned for Advancing Entry-Level, Mid-Skill, and Professional-Level URM Participation in the Geosciences Workforce I


Session ID#: 9115

Session Description:
Current geosciences workforce trends indicate that significant opportunities exist for underrepresented minorities (URM) workers in geosciences blue-collar, scientific, and managerial positions. However, there is a shortage of URM employees with proper training in the hard sciences as well as craft skills both important for middle skill employment. Most education programs are technical and specialized, leaving gaps in collaboration, critical thinking, and soft skills development for URMs. This session investigates vision, design, implementation, outcomes, and future directions of minority-focused geosciences training programs designed to fill these gaps through the innovative use of integrative and holistic approaches for attracting and training URM middle-skill workers. Information will be shared on the efficacy and success of programs that use correlative strategies to a) provide training in uniform standards of key concepts/competencies, b) engage participants in real life or situational trainings, and c) foster supportive environments to sustain continued mentorship, education and professional development.
Primary Convener:  Ashanti Johnson, STEM Human Resource Development, Office of the President, Cedar Hill, TX, United States; Institute for Broadening Participation, Damariscotta, ME, United States
Conveners:  Vivian Williamson, Institute for Broadening Participation, Damariscotta, ME, United States, Melanie Harrison Okoro, Eco-Alpha Environmental and Engineering Services, Sacrament, CA, United States and Jerome Murphy, ExxonMobil Spring, Spring, TX, United States
Chairs:  Ashanti Johnson, STEM Human Resource Development, Office of the President, Cedar Hill, TX, United States, Vivian Williamson, Organization Not Listed, Washington, DC, United States, Melanie Harrison Okoro, NOAA Camp Springs, Camp Springs, MD, United States and Jerome Murphy, ExxonMobil Spring, Spring, TX, United States
OSPA Liaison:  Ashanti Johnson, STEM Human Resource Development, Office of the President, Cedar Hill, TX, United States
Index Terms:

Abstracts Submitted to this Session:

David DiBiase, ESRI, Redlands, CA, United States
Melanie Harrison Okoro, NOAA Camp Springs, Camp Springs, MD, United States and Ashanti Johnson, STEM Human Resource Development, Office of the President, Cedar Hill, TX, United States
Onjalé Scott Price1, Ambrose Jearld Jr2, George Liles2 and Benjamin Gutierrez3, (1)NOAA-Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA, United States, (2)NOAA Fisheries Woods Hole Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States, (3)U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA, United States
John S Wickham1, Daniel Saunders1 and Gary Smith2, (1)University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States, (2)Tarrant County College District, VP Academic Affairs, NE Campus, Fort Worth, TX, United States
Isaac Crumbly1, Jackie Hodges1, Aditya Kar2 and Lisa Rashidi1, (1)Fort Valley State University, Cooperative Developmental Energy Program, Fort Valley, GA, United States, (2)Fort Valley State University, Dept. of Chemistry and Geology, Fort Valley, GA, United States
Elizabeth Padilla-Crespo1, Onjalé Scott Price2, Jeramie T Strickland3, Lois Ricciardi4, Warner I Guzman5, LaTanya Braxton4, Vivian Williamson4 and Ashanti Johnson6, (1)Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla, Aguadilla, PR, United States, (2)Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, United States, (3)U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Winona, MN, United States, (4)Institute for Broadening Participation, Damariscotta, ME, United States, (5)University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus, Cidra, PR, United States, (6)STEM Human Resource Development, Office of the President, Cedar Hill, TX, United States
Pranoti M. Asher1, Harry Furukawa1, Billy M Williams2 and Bethany Holm Adamec1, (1)American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, United States, (2)American Geophysical Union, Executive Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Science, Washington, DC, United States

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