GOLD-EN: BUILDING CAPACITY FOR BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN THE GEOSCIENCES – A NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION INITIATIVE

The geosciences continue to lag in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in the engagement, recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented and underserved scholars, requiring more focused and strategic efforts to address this problem. Prior investments made by the National Science Foundation (NSF) related to broadening participation in STEM have identified many effective strategies and model programs for engaging, recruiting, and retaining underrepresented scholars in the geosciences. These investments also have documented clearly the importance of committed, knowledgeable, and persistent leadership for making local progress in broadening participation in STEM and the geosciences. Achieving diversity at larger and systemic scales requires a network of diversity "champions" who can catalyze widespread adoption of these evidence-based best practices and resources.

The NSF GEO Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity – Expanding the Network (GOLD-EN) DCL expanded on the original GOLD program, which was implemented in 2016. The main purpose of the DCL was to bring to scale related diversity activities in the geosciences or develop unique approaches for greater inclusion in the geoscience education and research community. Additionally, the existing network of GOLD projects could operate more collaboratively to sustain or enhance current efforts, develop new lines of inquiry and evaluation, or seek creative ways to implement methodologies that were generated from the initial activities. The DCL called for proposals that would: 1) encourage convenings with a strong emphasis on the roles of the social and behavioral sciences, 2) support novel and innovative approaches for greater inclusion in the geoscience education and research community, and 3) foster new collaborations that would focus on practices related to the valuation of diversity leaders and their activities in institutional promotion systems. This presentation will highlight how recent awards are continuing to support and extend the goals of GOLD.