STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN GEOSCIENCES THROUGH ROCK ART CONSERVATION AT PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK

Research experiences for undergraduate students require active participation in scientific inquiry and critical thinking. Helping introductory level students discover and use research methods, including fieldwork and geotechnologies, presents a variety of challenges. A National Science Foundation - Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Investigation (NSF-CCLI) project investigates an interdisciplinary approach to rock art and its conservation. The Rock Art Stability Index (RASI) project engages undergraduate students in evaluating weathering science and geologic characteristics as they relate to cultural resources. The study is based at Mesa Community College, and involves collaboration with Arizona State University, University of Colorado-Denver, and the National Park Service. Since the primary participants are beginning undergraduate students, relevancy concerns are linked throughout major disciplines. Assessment results over the past few years demonstrate that undergraduate students' understanding of complex scientific concepts increase when they interact within a scientific field-based setting that centers on a culturally relevant issue. This is especially the case when it comes to minority and female student populations.