| NSF Org: |
RISE Integrative and Collaborative Education and Research (ICER) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 9, 2016 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 9, 2016 |
| Award Number: | 1600435 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Brandon Jones
mbjones@nsf.gov (703)292-4713 RISE Integrative and Collaborative Education and Research (ICER) GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2016 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2020 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $474,839.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $474,839.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
58138 US HIGHWAY 93 PABLO MT US 59855-7700 (406)275-4800 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
P.O. Box 70 Pablo MT US 59855-0070 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
EPSCoR Co-Funding, Integrat & Collab Ed & Rsearch |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
Part I: Salish Kootenai College (SKC), in collaboration with the Blackfeet Native Science Field Center at Blackfeet Community College (BCC NSFC) and Hopa Mountain, a Bozeman, Montana based nonprofit organization, are developing a GP - EXTRA project entitled Native Pathways/Native Science Fellows (NPNSF) that supports Native American and Latino undergraduate students? diverse pathways to geosciences careers by providing fellowships with science organizations, including nonprofits and other tribal colleges and active cohort groups to increase their engagement in higher education and geosciences careers. By creating three cohort groups of six Fellows linked to two tribal colleges and universities, this initiative will be able to compare and contrast the pathways of these Fellows at each site to determine the most effective strategies to (1) increase the number of Indigenous (Native American and Latino) students who are engaged in community-based geosciences research, field experiences and careers; (2) develop work and training programs for Indigenous tribal college and university students interested in the geosciences; (3) build a network of community-based science professionals who are committed to the success of Native American and Latino students and provide ongoing support for personal, academic and professional success; and (4) prepare these students to transfer to undergraduate or graduate school. These goals align with the GEO Education and Diversity Strategic Framework goals of developing a diverse, competitive, and engaged geosciences workforce. Specific objectives of the NPNSF initiative are to match 18 promising tribal college and university students annually with hands-on field work and professional research experiences to build skills and pathways to academic and professional careers in the geosciences. These students will also be mentored by geosciences professionals and a supportive cohort network throughout the year.
Part II: Native Pathways/Native Science Fellows (NPNSF) will enable Native American and Latino undergraduate students to access tribal college and university academic tracks that lead to graduation, fellowships with organizations that offer real world work experiences in the geosciences, and support of local cohorts of students that are on similar paths. These fellowships will integrate informal geosciences education with fieldwork. This initiative will enable project partners to design and study innovative learning opportunities as Native American and Latino college students access fellowships with organizations that offer early career work experiences in the geosciences. These fellowships will integrate informal geosciences education with fieldwork and research. Fellowships with local organizations, college visits, and professional conferences will expose college students to future careers. Tribal college and university fellowships with community-based science organizations will offer Native American and Latino students? skills and networks needed for successful careers in the geosciences. The student and professional networks that will be deepened through this program will both promote the inclusion of Native Americans and Latinos in science-based nonprofit organizations and professional networks while building knowledge of effective strategies for increasing the number and diversity of geosciences students entering the workforce.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Salish Kootenai College (SKC), in collaboration with the Blackfeet Native Science Field Center at Blackfeet Community College (BCC) and Hopa Mountain (HOPA), a Montana based nonprofit organization completed an innovative GP-EXTRA: Native Pathways/Native Science Fellows (NPNSF) that supported a community of Native American (NA) undergraduate students' diverse pathways to geoscience careers by providing service learning fellowships and training within geoscience organizations, including nonprofits, other tribal colleges, and active cohort groups that supported Indigenous knowledge and its interconnections to Western science. The overarching goal of this NPNSF initiative was to increase Native undergraduate student’s access to authentic, culturally-relevant service learning activities and field research experiences in the geosciences that would increase student engagement and retention in geoscience degree programs.
Intellectual Merit: SKC, BCC, and HOPA proposed this NPNSF program to enhance and continue the ecosystem of support for the rising number of Native American students interested in geosciences that have been developed through a decade of previous collaborations between the PIs (NSF 0914520; NSF 0610270; NSF 0104613). NPNSF has contributed to the development of a geoscience learning ecosystem (GLE) grounded in service to the community, relationships, collaborations and connections by creating supportive educational environments for undergraduate NA students. The specific objectives of matching 54 promising tribal college and university students with paid fellowships and structured mentoring to build their skills and pathways to academic and professional careers in geosciences was far exceeded by supporting 86 fellows (141% of goal) over the 4 year grant period. These students were also mentored by Native geoscience professionals and a supportive cohort network that was committed to integrating Indigenous geoscience. Approximately 50 mentors representing their respective organizations supported these students and contributed to the native geoscience network that regularly supported all fellows. This program also enabled NA undergraduate students across Montana to access a community of geoscience students that are on similar paths along with these supportive professionals, TCU academic tracks that emphasize Indigenous knowledge and lead to graduation, and fellowships with organizations that offer real world work experiences.
Broader Impacts: There are many different pathways to geosciences degrees and careers. Through this initiative, these divergent pathways were well documented for NA students by an independent evaluator to assess tribal college and university students’ experiences and routes to geoscience degrees which is being used to create a journal article (to be released in 2021). This knowledge will help to reduce barriers and increase access to geosciences degrees, especially for tribal college students that typically transfer schools in order to complete a Bachelor’s degree. It is expected that the student and professional networks developed will both promote inclusion of Native Americans in geoscience organizations and help to build lasting cross-cultural professional networks to assist in academic growth and managing Indigenous lands and waterway
Last Modified: 10/15/2020
Modified by: Antony R Berthelote
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