A project based on multidisciplinary investigations of Long Island Sound is being used as a vehicle to enhance diversity in geosciences. The project includes a curriculum centered on geoscience with substantial field and laboratory components. As part of the field component, students participate in a one week oceanographic expedition to Long Island Sound that is designed to illustrate the dominant physical processes in an urban coastal area by using a variety of oceanographic mapping techniques, such as multibeam bathymetric mapping, sediment and water sampling, and current profiling. The working hypothesis for the project is that City of New York students will be attracted to geosciences after participating in an integrated field and research experience that familiarizes them with their environment and introduces them to solving geoscience problems in a hands-on manner in a supportive environment where students are mentored on a one-on-one basis. The main scientific objectives of the project are: 1) to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic activities through studies of water, plankton, and sediments; and 2) to assess long-term climatic variability (during the last 10,000 years) through studies of sediment samples and acoustic imagery of the seafloor. Secondary objectives are to assess the risk of contamination due to anthropogenic activities, propose measures for remediation, and begin to evaluate long-term climatic patterns for the region. During this project, students are being trained in marine data acquisition and introduced to techniques commonly used by geoscientists and environmental scientists. The field experience and curriculum in coastal marine sciences developed through this project are expected to motivate and prepare students to pursue careers in the geosciences, environmental science, and geoscience education. The students are guided to participate in summer internships to strengthen their involvement in geosciences. A long-term goal is to use the strategy developed and repeat the field program every two years to integrate the Long Island Sound research-education experience to the core geoscience curriculum at Queens College and other CUNY colleges. The data collected forms the basis of a unique time-series that builds over time and is used for educational purposes at CUNY colleges and by visitors to the NSF sponsored Digital Library for Earth System Education.
