GP-IMPACT: STRENGTHENING PATHWAYS INTO GEOSCIENCES THROUGH LINKAGES BETWEEN SUMMER BRIDGE AND UNDERGRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAMS

The goal of this project is to create an effective pipeline for recruiting high school students and preparing them for transition through undergraduate and graduate programs to the workforce in geosciences. The project developed from a geoscience program with two major components; outreach to high schools, and a 6-weeks summer bridge program. In 2016, a third component that links the project to the 10 weeks summer Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP) was added. Through the outreach program, geoscience recruitment materials are disseminated to high school science teachers and counselors. The 6-weeks summer program introduces students to geosciences via lectures and hands-on laboratory and field activities in marine geology and chemistry, atmospheric science, marine biology and remote sensing/GIS. Students take part in field trips that foster cohesion among them and provide educationally enriching experience. They also receive lectures and tutorials in math to strengthen their quantitative skills, and enroll in a seminar course designed to facilitate the adjustment of freshman science majors to college life. Seventy-two (72) students have participated in the summer bridge program (2012 - 2017) of which 88% belonged to underrepresented minority groups and 56% were females. The students enrolled in various universities and colleges after the program. In 2016, three interns who previously took part in the summer bridge program participated in the Woods Hole PEP. Longitudinal tracking of all participants in the program is in progress to determine how many of them have remained or graduated in geoscience related disciplines.