HR: 1340h
AN: ED23A-0086 [Abstracts]
TI: Successful Geoscience Pipeline Activities for High School and College Students
AU: * Furman, T
EM: furman@geosc.psu.edu
AF: Department of Geosciences and AESEDA, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
United States
AU: Fail, C F
EM: cff1@psu.edu
AF: Diversity Enhancement Programs, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA 16802
United States
AU: Adewumi, M
EM: michael@pnge.psu.edu
AF: AESEDA, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
United States
AU: Bralower, T
EM: bralower@geosc.psu.edu
AF: Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
United States
AU: Guertin, L
EM: uxg3@psu.edu
AF: Division of Earth Sciences, Penn State Delaware County, Media, PA 19063
United States
AB:
The proportion of African-American students in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) at Penn State is 3.3 percent,
only slightly lower than the overall University Park campus proportion of 4 percent. Retention rates within EMS are
excellent; a recent survey found that EMS ranks highest in student satisfaction overall at the University Park campus. Our
goal to increase diversity in EMS disciplines requires us to attract new students to Penn State rather than recruiting from
other areas within the institution. We have implemented three programs that appear successful in this regard, and are thus
likely to form a viable pipeline from high school through graduate school. These programs operate at a college-wide level and
are co-sponsored by AESEDA (Alliance for Earth Science, Engineering and Development in Africa).
SEEMS (Summer Experience in EMS) is a partnership with Upward Bound Math and Science, adding 30 hours of directed research to
their existing enrichment program. Students identified in 9th grade spend 6 weeks each summer in residence at PSU, where
they receive classroom instruction in core academic areas in addition to a group research project led by faculty and graduate
students. SEEMS students are likely PSU recruits: all are accepted to college, 85 percent plan to attend college within PA,
and all have strong family support for education as well as for careers in EMS. Pre- and post-experience surveys indicate
strong positive changes in perception of EMS careers, particularly with regard to levels of intellectual challenge and
starting salary. We maintain personal contact with these students and encourage them to attend PSU when they graduate.
SROP (Summer Research Opportunity Program) is administered by the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the academic arm of
the Big 10, and provides residential research internships for students from HBCU and MSI campuses. EMS participates in SROP
by funding research interns and providing strong individual mentorships. Over the past 4 years, EMS faculty supported 29 SROP
students, 69 percent of whom are currently enrolled in or applicants for graduate programs (the rest are still
undergraduates or students who obtained full-time employment upon graduation).
African-American students have demonstrated strong interest in learning about science as it affects Africa and Africans. To
capitalize on this demand, we developed courses focusing on climate change and conflict diamonds at University Park and
Delaware County campuses. Both courses are always fully subscribed and enroll up to 25 percent African-American students;
they form the cornerstone of a new minor degree program "Science, Society and the Environments of Africa" that we think will
be attractive to undergraduate students overall.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting