ED31B-0740 INVITED 0800h
Earth and Space Sciences: The Need for Diversity in Global Science
The Earth and Space sciences are truly global in nature and encompass the most diverse subject areas in science. Yet, the practitioners of these fields do not reflect the diversity of the populations that are impacted by the outcomes of the research in these fields of study. The global marketplace, migration, the search for economic and renewable resources, Earth Systems research, and understanding our place in the universe compels us to be more inclusive of the populations and cultures that inhabit our planet. In this talk, we discuss the relevancy of these issues on scientific endeavors in the 21st century and the need for the Earth and Space sciences to be the leaders within the broad scientific community of ensuring that science remains an inclusive enterprise.
ED31B-0741 0800h
AGU Committee on Education and Human Resources Sub-Committee on Diversity Program for the term 2004-2006
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) founded the Diversity Subcommittee in 2000 to address what the AGU felt were important issues for the future of the geoscience community. A recent AGU statement of commitment and concern about issues of diversity reads, in part: It is essential that new strategies for educating, recruiting, and retaining geoscientists from currently under-represented populations be developed (a) for individual investigators seeking students to fill classes or work in their research programs; (b) for institutions looking to replace faculty and researchers; (c) for the larger community looking to the public for continued research funding, and (d) for the future US membership of AGU. In an effort to fulfill its charge, the majority of the 2004-2006 sub-committee's activities will be directed towards: (1) Education of the AGU Membership, including the sub-committee itself, on the salient issues of Diversity; (2) Mentoring and supporting minority students in the pipeline of Earth and Space Science education as well as minority faculty seeking to establish successful collaborations; (3) Establishing a mechanism for quantitative assessment of (a) the AGU demographics, (b) member knowledge, and (c) success of programs in the area of Diversity; (4) Conducting the first ever Chapman Conference on the needs of investigators with disabilities (July, 2005); (5) Partnering with other agencies and societies to build bridges; (6) Creating mechanisms for marketing the Earth and Space sciences to minority audiences; (7) Nurturing of minority members already in the AGU; promoting these members for honors and awards within AGU. Details, goals, and milestones of this program will be presented.
ED31B-0742 INVITED 0800h
Alliance for Earth Sciences, Engineering and Development in Africa
Penn State University, with a significant number of African University partners (University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, University of Cape Town, University of Witwatersrand, and Agustino Neto University) as well as HBCUs (Howard University and the Mississippi Consortium for International Development - a consortium of four HBCUs in Mississippi), has established the Alliance for Earth Sciences, Engineering and Development in Africa (AESEDA). AESEDA is designed to enable the integration of science, engineering, and social sciences in order to develop human resources, promote economic vitality and enable environmental stewardship in Africa. The Alliance has a coherent and significant multidisciplinary focus, namely African georesources. Education is a central focus, with research collaboration as one element of the vehicle for education. AESEDA is focused on building an environment of intellectual discourse and pooled intellectual capital and developing innovative and enabling educational programs and enhancing existing ones. AESEDA also has unique capabilities to create role models for under-represented groups to significantly enable the utilization of human potential. The efforts of the Alliance center around specific activities in support of its objectives: (1) Focused research collaboration among partner institutions, (2) Development of an international community of scholars, and (3) Joint development of courses and programs and instructional innovation. Penn State has a unique ability to contribute to the success of this program. The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences contains strong programs in the areas of focus. More than 25 faculty in the College have active research and educational efforts in Africa. Hence, the Alliance has natural and vigorous support within the College. The College is also providing strong institutional support for AESEDA, by establishing a Director and support staff and creating permanent funds for a unique set of new faculty hires. The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences also includes a highly regarded institute focused on e-education, distance delivery of curricular materials, and innovative educational solutions. Through two major symposia and a series of international meetings, AESEDA has established strong partnerships with universities in Africa and American HBCUs. All of these elements, combined with a focus on compelling issues, are indicative of the potential of AESEDA.
ED31B-0743 0800h
Examples of geoscientists women in France
Although the presence of women in sciences has been increasing in the past few decades in Europe, it remains incredibly low at the top levels. Recent statistics from the European Commission indicate that now women represent 50 percent of first degree students in many countries. However, the proportion of women at each stage of the scientific career decreases almost linearly, reaching less than 10 percent at the highest level jobs. From my own experience, I don't think that this results from sexism nor discrimination. Rather, I think that this is a result of complex cultural factors making women subconsciously persuaded that top level jobs are destined to male scientists only. Many women scientists drop the idea of playing a role at high-level research, considering it as a way of exerting power (a matter reserved to men). Others give up the possibility of combining childcare and high level commitments in research. And too many (married women) still find only natural to sacrifice their own scientific ambitions to the benefit of their spouse's career. Examples of personal experiences in the French research system are presented. We discuss some choices of prioritizing scientific productivity and expertise against hierarchical responsibilities and of keeping a satisfactory balance between family demand and research involvement. This is somewhat facilitated by the French system, which provides substantial support to women's work (nurseries, recreation centers during school holidays, etc.). As a conclusion, we think that the most promising way of increasing the number of women at top levels in research is through education and mentality evolution.
ED31B-0744 0800h
Gender Diversity in Planetary Volcanology: Encouraging Equality
We have brought together a group of respected and well-known female planetary volcanologists to create a book designed to encourage young women to pursue scientific careers. The book, entitled "Volcanic Worlds: Exploring the Solar System's Volcanoes," published by Praxis, is written for undergraduates who may have no background in geology or planetary sciences. Each chapter covers a different Solar System body or volcanic process, and is authored by a woman who is an expert in her field. Subjects covered include: the relation of plate tectonics to volcanism on Earth; the study of Mars' volcanoes from space and using rovers; geysers on Neptune's moon Triton and on Earth; eruptions on Io; and studying submarine lava flows from a submarine. Each chapter is written in a comfortable, readily accessible tone, with authors presenting not only science, but also some of the unique challenges faced by women conducting volcanological research today-and how these are overcome. Although not intended to be a textbook, this work could easily form the basis of an undergraduate geology seminar, honors course, or as a valuable accessory to an introductory geology course. In addition, it could be used in courses that would be cross-listed between geology departments and sociology departments. We will present more information on the book, and suggestions of how it could be used in the classroom to enhance gender diversity in the Earth and Space Sciences.
ED31B-0745 0800h
Native Americans and the Geosciences: Problems With Societally Driven Research, Cultural and Racial Divisions
Why are Native Americans absent from the geosciences? It doesn't seem to make sense when one view common to most traditional Native communities is earth and ecosystem stewardship, i.e. respect for Mother Earth. In addition, Native American communities could benefit from contributions made through earth science research. Land, and the natural resources that accompany it, are most tribes' greatest assets. Natural resource and land-use plans require information on geologic hazards, water quality and availability, soils, and environmentally sensitive areas: all data that are sorely lacking in Native communities. Native communities, with rapidly growing populations, desperately need geologic information for planning urban development. Even so, there are several reasons for a lack of interest in the geosciences: Mainstream science has historically served non-Native society to the detriment of Native communities, leaving few positive examples of earth science research for communities to draw from. Native North American communities have suffered greater harm from resource exploitation and have gained less from natural resource development than non-Native communities. Moreover, the earth scientist is usually the one who begins the assessing what is available for corporate exploitation, making the role of earth scientist adversarial. Racism, that begins at the elementary school level or earlier, leaves students feeling inadequate to pursue any degree, let alone those that are considered more challenging. Western science has a long history of denigrating indigenous knowledge and beliefs, producing a social stigma that Native American scientists must overcome. In addition, research tends to be narrowly focused, and based on the desire for individual academic achievement. This attitude counters cultural values of most Native groups, who seek to serve the collective group, rather than seeking self promotion.
http://lamar.colostate.edu/~natsci/proceedings.htm
ED31B-0746 INVITED 0800h
Fostering Indigenous Earth Science: Increasing Native American Participation in the Earth Science Enterprise
Attracting Native American students into the geosciences is one of the priorities of diversity efforts, but success remains limited and local. The need for geoscientific expertise on American Indian reservations continues to grow as Native populations and economic development on and around reservations expands. Typically tribal governments respond by hiring outside consultants to meet their scientific needs, but these relationships can sometimes be problematic. The solution is to increase the amount of Native American people who have sufficient geoscience education and training to manage tribal resources. However, there are multiple barriers to doing this created by a combination of economic, political, and cultural forces. Many Native American nations are enjoying a modest increase in prosperity, but tribes are still relatively poor compared with the non-Native population, even on gaming reservations. Furthermore, the legal status of Indian reservations as domestic dependent nations creates a unique and complex relationship between tribes, outside agencies and geoscientists, as data from tribal lands is considered proprietary and is guarded closely by tribal governments. There is a clear history of geoscience data collected on tribal lands often being used to drive subsequent instances of natural resources being taken out of tribal hands. These violations of tribal sovereignty make tribes cautious and wary of geoscience, slowing efforts to enhance geoscience education on reservations. Attracting young Native students to geoscience is also beset by difficulties in cross-cultural science instruction, poor understanding of the relevance of geoscience, and logistical problems related to the remote location of most reservations. Despite these problems, real progress is being made through close partnerships between geoscientists and tribal environmental professionals and other tribal organizations. A number of successful, but local, efforts are beginning to draw Native students into the geosciences and general strategies for success are emerging. This presentation will share what has been learned about educational, political, and academic solutions to these issues, and how all geoscientists can contribute to the success of these efforts.
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~eriggs/IESP
ED31B-0747 0800h
MS PHD'S Professional Development Program: A Scientific Renaissance in Cyberspace
This study is a component of a four-year investigation of MS PHD'S Professional Development Program's virtual community through the lenses of underrepresented minority students in Earth system science and engineering fields. In this presentation, the development, assessment and projected utilization of the ongoing study will be discussed. The overall goal of this study is to examine the effectiveness of virtual team building methods and understand how the development of a communal cyberinfrastructure acts as an integral part of the emergence of a Scientific Renaissance. The exemplar, Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S), provides professional development experiences to facilitate the advancement of students of color achieving outstanding Earth system careers. Undergraduate and graduate students are supported through access to scientific conferences, mentorship and virtual community building. Framed by critical theory, this ethnographic exploration uses a mixed methods research design to record, observe, and analyze both the processes and products of the website, listserv and synchronous web-based dialogue. First, key findings of the formative evaluation and annual reports of the successfully implemented 2003 MS PHD'S Pilot Project are presented. These findings inform future evaluations of the use of technological resources and illustrate how this public space provides peer support and enriched research opportunities. Quantitative methods such as statistical analysis, academic and professional tracking and evaluative tools for scientific content and competency are complimented by qualitative methods that include observations, heuristic case studies and focus group interviews. The findings of this ongoing investigation will provide insight on how national organizations, higher education practitioners, community-based support systems and underrepresented minorities in the sciences promote diversity by developing successful cyberspace programs and networks. Through the examination of the transformation, expansion and democratization of the Earth system science community, new knowledge will be obtained on how a cyber-community fuses science, diversity and technology to form dialectics between creating and analyzing a Scientific Renaissance.
http://www.msphds.usf.edu/
ED31B-0748 0800h
Where in the World Will We Find Our Future Geoscientists?: One Employer's Perspective
The challenges we face in finding and developing new energy resources to satisfy increasing global demand are driving us to update the attributes we seek in our entry-level Geoscientists. These attributes include a foundation of necessary technical talents and skills, as well as experimental approaches and geographic considerations. The resulting changes to our entry-level "demand profile," when convolved with the current global academic Geoscience landscape, present opportunities for development of alternative paradigms in how new Geoscientists are developed. While we have always stressed the need for strong, "classical" Earth Science fundamentals in our campus hires, both exploration and production business challenges point the way to an even greater emphasis on quantitative skills. For instance, accurately imaging deep structures overlain by highly complex salt strata in the Gulf of Mexico will require people who can balance an understanding of sedimentological and deformational processes with and understanding of the physics of wave propagation. Our experience has been that there are relatively few academic programs that stress both classical Geology and high-end quantitative skills for their graduates. Since we are in the business of remotely predicting subsurface conditions better than we ever have before, how well students are prepared in their approach to experimentation is ever more important to us. How well do students understand the systemic context of their work? Do they employ an approach characterized by multiple working hypotheses? How well are such hypotheses constrained by existing knowledge from other workers? Are their experiments well-designed and controlled such that some hypotheses can be unambiguously ruled out? Geographically, the locations of our resources and production will continue to shift away from areas like the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Since our research facilities and various centers of expertise reside in the US, we will continue to hire a high percentage of our Geoscientists in the US for employment here. However, decreasing internal demand for Geoscientists from Canada, Australia, and Europe will mean that our focus in these areas will largely shift to filling positions in our US research center and centers of expertise for which qualified US graduates cannot be found. As the proportion of our resources and production shifts into other areas, demand for highly qualified Geoscience graduates from these areas increases. Often, Geoscience departments in these areas are in an early stage of development. As many mature Geoscience departments face profound challenges from decreasing enrollments and funding, there is potential for "win-win" situations in which such departments work with governments that are interested in accelerating development of their academic institutions.
ED31B-0749 0800h
Next Generation Scientists, Next Opportunities: EPA's Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Program
Scientific research is one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding and protecting our environment. It provides the foundation for what we know about our planet, how it has changed, and how it could be altered in the future. The National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) supports high-quality, extramural research by the nation's leading scientists and engineers to strengthen the basis for decisions about local and national environmental issues. NCER works with academia, state and local governments, other federal agencies, and scientists in EPA to increase human knowledge of how to protect our health and natural resources through its three major programs: * Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Grants * Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) * Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships STAR, NCER's primary program, funds research grants and graduate fellowships in environmental science and engineering. Developing the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers is one of NCER's most important objectives. Each year, NCER helps between 80 and 160 students achieve Master's or Ph.D. degrees in environmental science and engineering through its STAR and Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) fellowships. Some of these students have moved on to careers in government while others are now full-time professors and researchers. Still others are working for state environmental agencies or furthering their studies through postdoctoral positions at universities. Since the inception of the NCER program, STAR fellowships (along with grants and SBIR projects) have been awarded in every state in the country. With the help of STAR, current and future scientists and engineers have been able to explore ways to preserve and protect human health and our precious resources.
http://www.epa.gov/ncer/fellow