The predicted shortage of ~135,000 geoscientists in the US by the year 2022 means that it is essential to increase recruitment and retention of geoscience majors as well as improve preparation for the workforce or graduate school. This project is increasing undergraduate geoscience major recruitment through three mechanisms: 1) through partnerships with regional high schools and community colleges, and 2) through introductory geoscience classes by increased use of hands-on, active learning practices, and 3) through improved publicity about geoscience career opportunities, including teaching at the K-12 level. This project is improving retention through 1) academic advising at a program level to reduce barriers and foster learning communities, 2) developing peer networks, and 3) building of connections between Towson University (TU) geoscience students and the broader geosciences community. Cohorts of undergraduates engaged in faculty-mentored research serve as a core around which the geoscience programs at TU are being strengthened and grown. The cohort experience serves as a major tool to recruit and then retain students to geoscience majors. Undergraduate research experiences have been demonstrated to improve academic outcomes, interest in graduate school, and the percentage of students working in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-related careers. An increase in the number and diversity of students entering geoscience careers will help meet workforce demands for the U.S. economy.
This project builds on existing best-practice methods for recruitment, student engagement, and professional development to increase the number and diversity of students entering geoscience careers. Faculty from TU and partnering 2-year community colleges (2YCs) and high schools are working together to publicize geoscience majors and career opportunities to increase recruiting into TU geoscience majors. TU and 2YC faculty also are seeking to establish transfer pathways into TU geoscience majors, since 42% of current incoming TU students enter as transfer students. Evaluation of the results of these approaches is advancing knowledge of methods to broaden pipelines for geoscience students transferring from 2YCs to four-year institutions and serves to inform other institutions working on these transitions. Qualitative research of student experiences offers insights into which best-practice methods are most effective and why. This project will contribute to the relatively thin literature on extracurricular geoscience research experiences for students. By the end of the project, at least 18 students will be affected directly through the research cohorts. In addition, tens of students per academic year will be reached through the field trips and >500 students per year will be reached through recruiting efforts and pedagogical reform of introductory geoscience courses. Smoothing pathways from 2YCs to TU for transfer students will reduce the time students spend in college and the financial costs they incur, including students pursuing secondary teaching certification in Earth-Space Science. Underrepresented group participation in TU geoscience programs will be increased through recruitment from 2YCs with a higher percentage of minority students than TU and through the selection process of the cohort program, where consideration will be given to diversity and academic performance.
