EARTH HORIZONS: A TSU-VU PARTNERSHIP TO BROADEN PARTICIPATION IN GEOSCIENCES

Minority groups continue to be underrepresented in the geosciences. In order to address this persistent problem, we have built a partnership between Tennessee State University (TSU), Vanderbilt University (VU), state and municipal government agencies, and local nonprofits with the goal of strengthening pathways for minority students entering geoscience careers and graduate programs. Earth Horizons leverages TSU’s strong record of preparing minority students for STEM careers and the vibrant geoscience research environment of VU to introduce students from underrepresented groups to geosciences and prepare them for careers. Our 2-year program targets TSU Environmental Science students in their junior and senior years. Key program components include an introductory geology course taught by VU faculty at TSU, a 3-week summer field course in TN state parks and an 8-week paid research internship in year 1. Year 2 includes upper level coursework at VU and a Career Seminar to introduce students to geoscience career pathways. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible and competitive for internships with program partners including TN State Parks, state and local government agencies, the USGS, and local nonprofits. Many of these internships involve direct interaction with the public, allowing the students to serve as role models of minority geoscientists. We are one year into our program, with most of our first cohort of seven students preparing to graduate. We report results from this first year and key lessons learned, including institutional barriers that slowed full program implementation, variable student participation in pieces of the program, and necessary revisions to the summer research program and classroom teaching methods to improve participant outcomes. A main product of this effort will be the construction and dissemination of a translatable model, or toolkit, designed to help institutions create and sustain partnerships at the undergraduate level. In this way, this partnership can be the start of a larger movement that promotes cross-institutional and agency collaboration to provide crucial support for students at key transitional moments in their careers and therefore to enhance diversity in the geoscience workforce and academic pipeline.