REU Site: Research Experience for Community College Students (RECCS) in the Geosciences

University Of Colorado At Boulder, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

The Research Experience for Community College Students (RECCS) in the Geosciences will engage ten Colorado community college students per year through participation in authentic research in the geosciences with emphasis on locally relevant topics. Community college students tend to be diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, and income level, and often include rural, first-generation college or veteran-status students. Studies show that research experiences help students improve their understanding of the scientific process, their ability to read scientific literature critically and their ability to integrate theory and practice. These students are more likely than others to pursue future research experiences or enroll in graduate school programs. Student recruitment for RECC will focus on engaging and supporting diverse cohorts of students, including students from rural Colorado. RECCS participants will be mentored through a nine-week research project overseen by preeminent scientists and will receive professional development training and scientific communication training over the course of the summer. It is expected that the research experience will guide students toward science degrees at four-year institutions. Rigorous program evaluation will provide data to measure the effects of engaging these students in research experiences and subsequent student interest in pursuing STEM-focused four-year college or graduate school degrees and scientific careers. This summer research program will engage a diverse cadre of community college students, especially those from rural Colorado, in the sciences. Students can conduct independent research projects in a wide variety of research topics, including topics such as: wildfire impacts on hydrology and water quality, soil microbes, nitrogen deposition in the Colorado front range, landscape evolution, modeling of fisheries data, satellite monitoring of air pollution, urban magnetic anomalies and geothermal field dynamics. The RECCS research environment is designed to provide several layers of mentoring by scientists, RECCS alums as near-peer mentors, professional development trainers and RECCS staff, as well as peer-group interaction, to instill a sense of belonging within the student cohorts. This structure will ensure that participants receive the support they need to succeed in their projects and to gain confidence in their scientific ability. The involvement of scientists from Colorado University Boulder and local Federal Laboratories, including NOAA and USGS laboratories, will provide students with access to cross-disciplinary and cross-agency expertise and foster connections and collaborations between those research groups. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.