Strategies for Broadening Participation in the Geosciences: Lessons Learned From the UCAR-SOARS$^{r}$ Program

HR: 08:30h
AN: ED21D-03 [Abstracts]
TI: Strategies for Broadening Participation in the Geosciences: Lessons Learned From the UCAR-SOARS$^{r}$ Program
AU: * Pandya, R E
EM: pandya@ucar.edu
AF: SOARS PROGRAM UCAR, P.O. BOX 3000, Boulder, CO 80304 United States
AB: Broadening participation in the geosciences will advance our research, enhance our education and training, and improve our ability to meet societal needs. By attracting more diverse students, we will be better postioned to provide all our students the increasingly necessary and relevant experience of working in diverse teams. Because some traditionally underrepresented groups, particularly Latinos & Hispanics, are growing much faster than the population as a whole, broader participation will enlarge the pool of talented individuals contributing to the next generation of research. Finally the geosciences will be more effective and credible when the diversity of our nation is reflected in our workforce, especially as civic discourse includes more and more complex decisions about society's interactions with the Earth and its resources. The Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) seeks to broaden participation in geosciences by helping undergraduate students successfully transition to graduate programs in the atmospheric and related sciences. SOARS combines multiple research experiences, multifaceted mentoring, an encouraging community, and financial support to help students enter and succeed in graduate school. A central feature of the SOARS program is a ten-week summer immersion program in which protＨＴ (SOARS participants) conduct scientific research at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) or at laboratories of SOARS sponsors. During this summer research experience, SOARS protＨＴ are supported by up to four mentors: a science research mentor, a writing mentor, a community mentor, and a peer mentor. SOARS protＨＴ collaborate with their mentors to perform original research, prepare scientific papers, and present their research at a colloquium. SOARS also provides extensive leadership and communication training; support for conference presentations and for graduate school; and a strong scholarly community that develops from the critical mass of protＨＴ living and working together in Boulder. Over the program's nine years, 90 protＨＴ have participated in the SOARS. Twenty-nine protＨＴ have completed their masters' degrees and one has successfully defended her PhD. Thirty-three SOARS protＨＴ are enrolled in graduate programs in an atmospheric or related science. Twenty-three are enrolled in master's programs, and 10 are pursuing doctoral degrees. Sixteen protＨＴ are currently in the professional scientific or engineering workforce. SOARS protＨＴ have delivered over 100 posters or presentations at national or regional conferences. SOARS received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 2001 SOARS strategies can be offered for consideration by institutions seeking to develop their own programs to broaden participation. We will also report on an independent review of SOARS that will highlight other programmatic features that contribute to program success. Preliminary results suggest several key practices that include: UCARs institutional commitment to inclusiveness; personal attention to the needs of each student; opportunities for student peer interaction; and continuous program monitoring, evaluation, and adjustment.
UR: http://www.ucar.edu/soars
DE: 6605 Education
DE: 6630 Workforce
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting