Mentoring, Education, Training, Research and Outreach (METRO): A co-ordinated approach to increase diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG Type II)

California State University-Fresno Foundation, Fresno CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The Geoscience Mentoring, Education, Training, Research and Outreach (METRO) Center is a collaboration between a four year institution (California State University Fresno), and two community colleges (Fresno City College and Reedley College). The overarching aim of this center is to create a seamless pipeline of minority students from the K-12 school system through to advanced degrees and careers in the geosciences within the critically underserved region of Central California. Students are being recruited from Fresno State, local community colleges and high schools into the METRO program, where they participate in geoscience research, receive faculty- and peer-mentoring, attend workshops to prepare them for careers and/or graduate studies, and participate in summer research/internships at state and federal facilities over a three-year period. In parallel with these activities, the students are involved in outreach activities that educate K-12 students about opportunities within the geosciences and provide professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers. During the project, over 100 teachers and 2,500 school students will be reached through the outreach and professional development efforts. Twenty-four undergraduate students will participate in research projects each year, and the majority of these students will attend and present at academic conferences. A large proportion of these students will be Hispanic, a critically under-represented group in the geosciences.