AMBASSADORS FOR THE HIGH SEAS: STUDENTS SHARE THEIR NEWFOUND OCEAN ENTHUSIASM WITH BROAD AUDIENCES (Invited Presentation)

Seagoing experiences can be transformational, particularly for undergraduate students who often do not have direct opportunities with ocean science from a research ship. In 2018, with funding from the NSF, the Ambassadors for STEM Training to Enhance Participation (A-STEP) program started with the goal of leveraging the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) JR Academy and the STEM Student Experiences Aboard Ships (STEMSEAS) program to engage STEM and non-STEM students in the scientifically-rich environments of oceanographic cruises. Participating in cruises with missions that span seafloor mapping, biological oceanography and paleoceanography, brings students in early career stages meaning and value to scientific information and data collection at sea - the types of data that help inform our understanding of climate and environmental change on a range of timescales.

By placing the emphasis on ambassadorship, A-STEP encourages students to promote their learning experiences at sea by developing science communication products. These include creating and sharing their understanding of ocean science through video shorts, story maps, blog posts, and educational storyboards. A-STEP alumni have shared their science communication products at national conferences, with K-12 audiences, and at an A-STEP student summit held at the Gulf Coast Repository at Texas A&M University. The diverse community of students who have participated in A-STEP expeditions demonstrate the value of the natural laboratories that marine research vessels provide and the unique opportunities to train underrepresented students to better understand science and practice effective science communication.

With more than twenty-five A-STEP alumni in the network, the reach of their science communication products, motivations, and career trajectories have extended beyond some of the goals of the original project. Through peer-to-peer mentoring, exposure to professional scientists, and eager readiness for additional scientific cruises, the project has demonstrated that effective ambassadorship can be built expedition by expedition as students disseminate exciting and relevant geoscience information across broad audiences.