LOOKING FORWARD: HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE YOUNG BIPOC AND LATINX STUDENTS TO BE GEOSCIENTISTS?

The Geosciences are the least diverse field in STEM. We know this (Bernard and Cooperdock 2018). So what can we do about it? This is the question that we asked ourselves, two Latina Geoscientists, prompting our recollection of the experiences that led us to pursue Geoscience fields. Namely, it was our participation in Geoscience and STEM focused camps that developed our interests and eventual careers as Geoscientists. With this in mind, we decided to develop our own camp, the Geoscience Camp for Middle School Girls, which was focused on recruiting local students from the Champaign, IL school district. We ran this camp over two days and it was cost free for participants. Guided through a Mars-simulated rover mission that included a simulated volcanic explosion called Trashcano, a GPS reconnaissance of Trashcano debris, GIS analysis of the Traschano explosion and analog comparison to Olympus Mons, the girls entered the camp as Geoscience trainees and left as young Geoscientists. From this camp, we have built mentorship relationships with several campers who continue to have an interest in Geoscience fields and careers. To further develop opportunities for mentorship, resources, and supporting their interest in the Geosciences, we have now developed the Geoscience Learners Initiative. This initiative was created after campers parents asked us if we could offer online resources or chats to continue sparking and supporting their child’s interests in our careers and our journeys as Geoscientists. In Geoscience Learners, we are working to build online interactive modules where anyone can learn about Geosciences topics through similar hands-on activities and connect with and learn about Geoscientists. We believe that sharing our journeys, especially those of us who are from minoritized backgrounds, gives power to our younger generation and shows them that they too can become Geoscientists. Please join me as I discuss how we built the camp with a community-based lens and how listening and working with our community led us to identify other ways we can engage and encourage BIPOC and Latinx students to learn more about the Geosciences.