DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND ASSESSMENT OF A MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL UNDERGRADUATE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FIELD AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM: A REPORT FROM YEAR 1 OF THE ESTEM PROJECT

The anticipated shortage of geoscience professionals and barriers to the recruitment and retention of a diverse STEM workforce necessitate the development of programs to support geoscience student transitions to 4-year institutions and the workplace. ESTEM (Environmental Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), a collaboration between College of the Atlantic (a rural, liberal arts college), University of San Francisco (an urban, primarily undergraduate institution), and Mt. San Antonio College (a suburban community college), is a field and career preparation program for students at 2-year and 4-year institutions interested in environmental careers. ESTEM students participate in a summer field course in the Sierra Nevadas, during which they complete geology, geomorphology, hydrology, and ecology field projects; interact with local professionals in the environmental sector (stakeholders); and strive to earn badges based on the skills and competencies demonstrated during their completion of field projects. We will report on the planning, curriculum, implementation, and results of ESTEM cohort 1, including the administrative and pedagogical challenges of implementing a multi-institution and institution-type field and career preparation program. We will also discuss lessons learned about best practices in interfacing with environmental stakeholders and the badge design process. Assessment for this program is multi-faceted and includes rubrics for field modules and student presentations; badge rubrics for mapping, ecology, and field notes; interviews; and pre and post-program surveys. We will present preliminary results of formative and summative assessments and their implications for student success and program design.