This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The University of San Diego (USD) and Ocean Discovery Institute (ODI) are collaborating to develop a new generation of Ocean Leaders by engaging students from low socio-economic communities in marine and environmental science education and career paths. Many of the project participants are students traditionally underrepresented in the geosciences, as well as students from immigrant communities. The initiative objectives are to: 1) increase participation and achievement of underrepresented students in informal geoscience education, 2) increase the number of underrepresented students that pursue a Bachelors degree in the geosciences, 3) recruit and retain underrepresented students into geoscience programs at USD and foster their successful pursuit of geoscience careers, and 4) attract more well-prepared and culturally aware teachers and mentors into the field of geoscience and geoscience education. Ocean Leaders is providing students with a comprehensive research-based program of geoscience education, from middle school through college; university students participating in the program are provided training and participation in teaching and mentoring these students in the geosciences. This project builds on a successful pilot effort, facilitated by ODI, that demonstrated academic and attitudinal gains at every level, including a significant increase in students attending college and majoring in the geosciences. The initiative includes a series of programs that act as building blocks in the students' geoscience education development as they grow from sixth to twelfth grade, providing experiential learning and participation in scientific research. Beyond programmatic components, the initiative is multi-systemic and provides sixth grade through college students with a support structure to ensure their ability to pursue an education and career in the geosciences. Select Ocean Leaders graduates will be recruited into geoscience programs at USD. These "USD Ocean Leader Scholars" will be supported through a full-ride scholarship from USD, individual faculty mentorship, and an intensive program of undergraduate research and internship. The project also seeks to attract more talented and prepared teachers and mentors into the field of geoscience and geoscience education by integrating USD geoscience and education undergraduate and graduate students as instructors, mentors and coordinators. The project includes partnership with the City Heights Educational Collaborative, which includes the San Diego Unified School District, and the project is expected to engage approximately 25 middle school, 40 high school, and 25 college students from underserved communities, as well as 20 undergraduate and graduate students from USD each year.
