INTERDISCIPLINARY UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH EXPERIENCES AND FLEXIBLE MAJORS TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN GEOSCIENCES

The recruitment of undergraduate students, especially minorities, into geoscience career paths continues to be a challenge. Students increasingly want their studies to be associated with a societal good, such as preventing damage to the environment, (APS: PHYS21- 2016) and show increasing enthusiasm about problems of global importance (Golding, 2009). Retention of students in STEM areas can be facilitated by enhanced interdisciplinary education and research (NAS 2005). Geosciences are interdisciplinary and address real life issues impacting minorities more. We designed a program that has four components based on education literature best practices: (1) Promoting atmospheric sciences as a socially and culturally relevant career option, (2) Cohort building activities and effective mentoring, (3) Year-round research opportunities for undergraduates at NCAT, complemented with field trips to atmospheric science and meteorology facilities in the region and state, followed-up by a short but intensive research experience at National labs and international sites (4) Developing concentrations in Atmospheric Sciences within STEM MS programs (physics etc.). The students were engaged in a year-round research activity, biweekly professional development meetings and lectures, visits to national labs, the National Weather Service (NWS), and a field trip to Botswana. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the program activities and assessment, along with challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned and recommendations that include (1) design projects with clear societal implications, (3) develop partnerships between national labs and universities to provide cutting-edge research, educational, and professional development opportunities for students in summer or short visits, (3) offer professional development short course modules focused on research and professional ethics, literature survey and evaluation, writing and communication, data management and handling (4) make the STEM major more flexible can allow students to tailor their degree programs to specific career paths.