GDEP is funded by NSF GEO 01-19891 Geosciences Student Recruitment Strategies at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB): Earth System Science/Community-

GDEP is funded by NSF GEO 01-19891

Geosciences Student Recruitment Geosciences Student Recruitment Strategies at California State Strategies at California State

University, Long Beach (CSULB): University, Long Beach (CSULB): Earth System Science/Community-Earth System Science/Community-

Research Based Education Research Based Education PartnershipsPartnerships

Elizabeth L. Ambos, Richard Behl, David Elizabeth L. Ambos, Richard Behl, David Whitney, Whitney,

Christine M. Rodrigue,Christine M. Rodrigue, Suzanne P. Wechsler, Gregory Holk, Suzanne P. Wechsler, Gregory Holk,

Christopher T. Lee, R. Daniel Francis, and Christopher T. Lee, R. Daniel Francis, and Daniel LarsonDaniel Larson

All atAll at: California State University, Long : California State University, Long BeachBeach


Three Geoscience Departments:Three Geoscience Departments:Three Interdisciplinary Three Interdisciplinary

CollaborationsCollaborations Geoscience departments at CSULB:Geoscience departments at CSULB:

Geological Sciences Geological Sciences (geology, geophysics, geochemistry, (geology, geophysics, geochemistry, oceanography, meteorology)oceanography, meteorology)

Geography Geography (biogeography, palaeo/climatology, geospatial (biogeography, palaeo/climatology, geospatial technology)technology)

Anthropology Anthropology (archaeology, geoarchaeology)(archaeology, geoarchaeology)

Interdisciplinary collaborations:Interdisciplinary collaborations: Institute for Interdisciplinary Research in Institute for Interdisciplinary Research in

Materials, Environments, and Societies (IIRMES)Materials, Environments, and Societies (IIRMES) Environmental Science and Policy Major (ES&P)Environmental Science and Policy Major (ES&P) Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Project Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Project

(GDEP)(GDEP)


IIRMESIIRMES Institute for Interdisciplinary Research in Institute for Interdisciplinary Research in

Materials, Environments, and SocietiesMaterials, Environments, and Societies Originally grew from collaborations among Originally grew from collaborations among

Anthropology, Geological Sciences, Biological Anthropology, Geological Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physics and AstronomySciences, Physics and Astronomy

Equipped with NSF fundsEquipped with NSF funds 5 labs: wet lab, ICP-MS, organic lab, SEM & 5 labs: wet lab, ICP-MS, organic lab, SEM &

TLC lab, stable isotope lab, and TLC lab, stable isotope lab, and thermoluminescence labthermoluminescence lab

Provides contract access to facilities and Provides contract access to facilities and analysesanalyses


ES&PES&P

Environmental Science and Policy MajorEnvironmental Science and Policy Major Curriculum comprised of math, biology, Curriculum comprised of math, biology,

physics, chemistry, geology, geography, physics, chemistry, geology, geography, economics, and anthropology, designed to economics, and anthropology, designed to expose students systematically to both expose students systematically to both natural and social sciencesnatural and social sciences

B.S. program emphasizes natural sciences, B.S. program emphasizes natural sciences, including geology, physical geography, including geology, physical geography, biology, chemistrybiology, chemistry

B.A. program emphasizes policy and social B.A. program emphasizes policy and social sciences, including economics, sciences, including economics, anthropology, and human geographyanthropology, and human geography



GDEP: Interdisciplinary GDEP: Interdisciplinary Partnerships To Improve Partnerships To Improve

Opportunities for StudentsOpportunities for Students A 3 year teaming among CSULB faculty in Geological A 3 year teaming among CSULB faculty in Geological

Sciences, Geography, and AnthropologySciences, Geography, and Anthropology Committed to working across departments and Committed to working across departments and

colleges and with 5 community colleges (CC) and 5 colleges and with 5 community colleges (CC) and 5 LBUSD high schools -- to provide interdisciplinary LBUSD high schools -- to provide interdisciplinary earth system science research opportunitiesearth system science research opportunities

Dedicated to closing the GAP between community Dedicated to closing the GAP between community demographics and 4-year college geoscience student demographics and 4-year college geoscience student demographics (i.e., fewer underrepresented students demographics (i.e., fewer underrepresented students in geosciences compared to their community in geosciences compared to their community populations)populations)

Activities include Activities include assessment of attitudes toward geosciences among CSULB, assessment of attitudes toward geosciences among CSULB,

community college, and LBUSD students community college, and LBUSD students intensive eight-week summer research institute involving 25-intensive eight-week summer research institute involving 25-

40 CSULB, LBUSD, CC students, and faculty)40 CSULB, LBUSD, CC students, and faculty)


GDEP Partners & Field GDEP Partners & Field SitesSites

0 4 miles

CSULBLBUSD HS

CC

Red = Low Income Areas


GDEP OutcomesGDEP Outcomes Extensive Summer Research Program:Extensive Summer Research Program:

Student involvement: Student involvement: 29 students involved over 3 years (27 from 29 students involved over 3 years (27 from underrepresented groups)underrepresented groups)

Faculty involvement: Faculty involvement: >30 CSULB, community college, and high >30 CSULB, community college, and high school facultyschool faculty

Observable Changes in Participant Attitudes:Observable Changes in Participant Attitudes: Students: Students: greater self-confidence, higher educational aspirationsgreater self-confidence, higher educational aspirations Community college and high school faculty:Community college and high school faculty: more hands-on class more hands-on class

activities, more knowledge of geoscience career possibilitiesactivities, more knowledge of geoscience career possibilities CSULB facultyCSULB faculty : : better understanding of challenges students face – better understanding of challenges students face –

particularly students from urban, lower income areas; more interest particularly students from urban, lower income areas; more interest in community-based, interdisciplinary, earth systems science in community-based, interdisciplinary, earth systems science research projectsresearch projects

Dissemination:Dissemination: PublicationsPublications:: 5 papers published or in press in geoscience and/or 5 papers published or in press in geoscience and/or

education oriented journals, 1 with student co-authors education oriented journals, 1 with student co-authors Abstracts of presentationsAbstracts of presentations:: >30, about half with student co- >30, about half with student co-

authors authors Website: Website: http://www.csulb.edu/geography/gdep/http://www.csulb.edu/geography/gdep/


GDEP Outcomes: GDEP Outcomes: DiversificationDiversification



ConclusionsConclusions Enrollments in geosciences CAN growEnrollments in geosciences CAN grow

IFIF departments reach out to others with common departments reach out to others with common interests in the earth and environment, both on the same interests in the earth and environment, both on the same campus and at other institutions nearbycampus and at other institutions nearby

IFIF departments implement structures and programs that departments implement structures and programs that reward working together (e.g., IIRMES research facility, reward working together (e.g., IIRMES research facility, GDEP research experience for undergraduates, GDEP research experience for undergraduates, cocoördinating curriculum as in ES&P)ördinating curriculum as in ES&P)

Our appeal cannot be confined to a declining Our appeal cannot be confined to a declining demographicdemographic Success in recruiting increasingly demands catching the Success in recruiting increasingly demands catching the

attention of attention of underrepresented minority studentsunderrepresented minority students, , especially in California and other border statesespecially in California and other border states

It also requires appealing to the job-centric It also requires appealing to the job-centric working working class and poor studentclass and poor student, particularly in comprehensive , particularly in comprehensive urban universities and universities with rural service urban universities and universities with rural service areasareas

Gender balanceGender balance has improved but there are still has improved but there are still expansion possibilities in recruiting women and girls expansion possibilities in recruiting women and girls


Documents

GDEP is funded by NSF GEO 01-19891 Geosciences Student Recruitment Strategies at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB): Earth System Science/Community-