RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS: EXPANDING THE PIPELINE FOR 2YC STUDENTS INTO GEOSCIENCE PROGRAMS AT 4YCS

The NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program typically serves advanced students who are already committed to careers in science and are upper-level students at a four-year college (4YC). To spark student interest in the geosciences at earlier and different points in college, we developed the NSF-funded Research Experience for Community College Students (RECCS) program in Colorado. Compared with 4YC students, community college (2YC) students often have different goals and backgrounds that include: veteran or minority status, significant family responsibilities, rural or lower-income community residency, full- or part-time work off campus, and preparation for second careers. The goal of RECCS is to give these students an authentic research experience and training that allows them to explore environmental or geological sciences and gain the confidence to transition to a four-year program in the STEM disciplines, if they desire. We conducted extensive program evaluation and assessment of student skills in five cohorts of RECCS (2014-2018; 49 students total). We will summarize our longitudinal datasets and share important insights on best practices for supporting 2YC students in STEM research and for encouraging students to continue their study at a 4YC and beyond. We will highlight successful program elements, including team building, the research environment, career professional development, and scientific communication training. We will also describe lessons learned and program modification over time. To date, key outcomes include several students presenting at scientific conferences, one publication in a peer-reviewed journal, roughly 65% of participants successfully transitioning to a 4YC, all others completed their 2YC, and two students now attending graduate school.