NSF Org:	GEO Directorate for Geosciences
Recipient:	WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date:	July 22, 2009
Latest Amendment Date:	July 22, 2009
Award Number:	0914513
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Jill L. Karsten GEO  Directorate for Geosciences GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	September 1, 2009
End Date:	August 31, 2012 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$199,710.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$199,710.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2009 = $199,710.00
ARRA Amount:	$199,710.00
History of Investigator:	William Hansen (Principal Investigator) whansen@worcester.edu Allison Dunn (Co-Principal Investigator) Stephen Healy (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Worcester State University 486 CHANDLER ST WORCESTER MA  US  01602-2597 (508)929-8976
Sponsor Congressional District:	02
Primary Place of Performance:	Worcester State University 486 CHANDLER ST WORCESTER MA  US  01602-2597
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	02
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	W1EJJYFJEN59
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	OPPORT FOR ENHANCING DIVERSITY
Primary Program Source:	01R00910DB RRA RECOVERY ACT
Program Reference Code(s):	6890, 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s):	169700
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.050

ABSTRACT

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).

Worcester State College (WSC) is working with the local school district in the City of Worcester, MA, to increase diversity in undergraduate geoscience programs through the creation of an integrated pipeline for engaging students at a variety of levels. In this district, 35.7% of the students are Latino, 12.9% are African-American, and 7.8% are Asian-American giving the program particular impact on under-represented populations. Key to this project is a strategic partnership with the Worcester Vocational Technical High School Environmental Technologies program.

The project will establish these connections through a series of interlinked curricular programs, internships, and facilitation agreements between WSC and surrounding schools. The first initiative is to develop a curriculum enrichment program for middle schools teachers, the only level in public education where the geosciences are an explicit part of the curriculum in Massachusetts. The next phase in our project is to establish an internship project that will pair minority youth in Worcester with sustainability based organizations and enterprises. We have partnered with Worcester Mass Audubon, Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA, the Regional Environmental Council and youth groups like Toxic Soil Busters to develop this program. The culmination of the high school internship program will be to encourage successful interns to take advantage of an articulation agreement between WSC and area high schools that will allow them to take college level courses in the geosciences. Gaining exposure to the college environment and earning college credit will give these students a significant experiential and economic advantage should they chose to pursue an advanced degree.

The aim is to create a pathway from the public schools to the WSC Earth Science program. Most students who graduate from Worcester State College remain in the area after graduation so this endeavor we will produce graduates who will go on to teach geosciences at the secondary level in the surrounding communities, further cementing these institutional relationships.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.