IMPLEMENTING A PLACE-BASED FRAMEWORK TO CONFERENCE FIELD TRIPS AS A TOOL TO DECOLONIZE AND NURTURE DIVERSITY IN THE GEOSCIENCES

Field trips at professional meetings enhance participation, providing many valuable benefits to attendees. Such experiences designed in the form of short-term on-site excursions are designed to complement the conference's technical sessions and provide participants with hands-on learning experiences. Field trips provide a space for learning, networking, professional growth, and building community among your peers. Such field trips, however, risk reinforcing helicopter science approaches in which scientists from privileged settings carry out research in resource-poor settings with limited to no involvement of, or contributions to, local communities or experts. We argue that property designed field trips can facilitate meaningful interactions between attendees and the local community, establishing place-based learning. By participating in on-site experiences, field trip participants have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the local environment and gain firsthand insights into the interactions between local communities and their surroundings, engaging in cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary learning. These place-based field trips provide accessible and inclusive learning environments that can enhance a sense of belonging for its participants.

Geosciences, including the study of caves and karst, face challenges in achieving diversity compared to other STEM fields. Limited exposure to the discipline, disparities in outdoor participation and lack of sense of belonging among historically excluded groups are some identified barriers. We suggest that conference field trips designed on a place-based approach can serve as a mechanism to foster both, respectful and equitable collaborations with local communities and experts, and increase representation of diverse backgrounds in the Geosciences. During the 2022 National SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) Conference in held in Puerto Rico, we designed a place-based field experience for 20 students and early career participants to explore the significance of caves and other karst features for Boricuas by visiting 3 caves located in Las Cabachuelas Natural Reserve (LCNR). In this talk, we will be sharing our experience designing this kind of experience and the challenges associated.