Analytic Support for the Geoscience Education and Diversity Program

American Institutes For Research In The Behavioral Sciences, Arlington VA

Investigators

Abstract

The American Institutes for Research is synthesizing the major findings of selected projects in the Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG) Program portfolio, supported by NSF since 2002. Results of this synthesis will be used to inform the Committee of Visitors (COV) review of the Geoscience Education and Diversity (Geo E&D) Program in January 2013. The project emphasizes knowledge generated by a carefully selected subgroup of projects from OEDG's program portfolio ? projects selected because of the relatively high validity and generalizability of their findings. A team of AIR researchers is reviewing a variety of reference materials for the selected projects, including final NSF reports, annual NSF reports, publications in peer-reviewed journals, and project websites. Telephone interviews with a sample of principal investigators are being used to flesh out the details of best practices and to follow up on institutionalization, model replication, and longer term outcomes for participants after NSF funding expires. Results of the review and interviews are being summarized in a final report that identifies evidence-based successful strategies in achieving OEDG program goals and the conditions under which they succeeded. This project builds on the project-level findings reported in the 2007 Journal of Geosciences Education special issue on the status of racial diversity in the geosciences and expands on the two articles in that volume that addressed lessons learned and best practices gleaned from results of Federal research investments made during the previous decade. Since publication of the special issue of JGE, projects funded by OEDG have built on the body of knowledge presented therein, making this systematic, scholarly assessment and synthesis of the most significant findings of projects supported by OEDG very timely. This project, relying on the most significant, high-quality research supported by OEDG over its history, is expected to clarify best practices in fostering minority participation in the geosciences and the conditions under which various strategies are most likely to succeed. Analysis of new knowledge, understanding, and best practices will benefit substantially the 2013 COV, NSF GEO E&D Program managers, current OEDG projects, the broader geosciences community, and other NSF minority-serving programs.