Track 2: Ka`imi`ike: An Initiative to Recruit and Retain Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders to the Geosciences
The University of Hawaii is introducing college freshman and sophomore Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island (NHPI) students to fields in the geosciences through a three-week, interactive summer institute called Ka`imi`ike. Students will interact with local geoscientists (kumu) who will be showcasing their careers and research. In addition, students will interact with local kupuna (elders), who will provide culturally relevant examples of how geoscience research activities are linked to their ethnic identity, community, and ohana (family). Students will be involved in activities that utilize geotechniques such as GIS, remote sensing, and GPS. Select students majoring in a geoscience discipline are provided scholarship support during the academic year. Ka`imi`ike is partnering with different local Hawaiian programs to assist in the coordination of the program's activities during the summer institute and academic year in order to ensure that the educational pathways developed are culturally optimized for the targeted population. In this way, Ka`imi`ike provides a mechanism for NHPI students to participate in a cooperative internship with local companies and agencies that have a geoscience focus. This project is partially supported by funds from the Office of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) at the National Science Foundation.
