PROMOTING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION: ENGAGING SAGE 2YC FACULTY TO TRANSFORM GEOSCIENCE IN TWO-YEAR COLLEGES

Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the geosciences requires that faculty implement inclusive practices in their teaching and in their programs. As 2-year colleges enroll ~ 40% of undergraduates, their role is critical. The NSF-funded Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education in Two-Year Colleges (SAGE 2YC) project is building the capacity for faculty Change Agents from 2-year colleges across the U.S. to implement these research-based practices, use data to identify inequities and assess the impacts of inclusive practices, and disseminate information, ideas, and practices in their regional communities. SAGE 2YC professional development includes in-person and virtual workshops, other virtual activities, and web resources focused on strategies for broadening participation including developing students’ science identity, mitigating stereotype threat, developing students’ sense of belonging, and integrating societal issues into courses. It also addressed supporting the success of all students, facilitating students’ career pathways, and leadership development. Change Agents collect course-level participation and success data that are disaggregated by student subgroups as well as data about their individual and program educational practices. These data guide the development, implementation, and assessment of individual and program action plans that address the needs of their setting. Each Change Agent team also leads an annual regional workshop, propagating strategies and building a regional network. These workshops incorporate resources and activities designed for the SAGE 2YC project that were used in the professional development provided to the Change Agents. The regional workshops provide an opportunity for workshop participants, including adjunct faculty, to learn about and implement inclusive teaching practices and develop more equitable programs. SAGE 2YC supports movement toward diverse, equity-minded, and inclusive geoscience courses, programs, and regional networks through the professional development it provides on inclusive practices and programs; the Change Agents implement such practices in their teaching and their geoscience programs, use data to provide insights about their efforts, and support change through the regional workshops they lead.