NSF Org:	RISE Integrative and Collaborative Education and Research (ICER)
Recipient:	YALE UNIV
Initial Amendment Date:	August 5, 2020
Latest Amendment Date:	June 28, 2023
Award Number:	2023113
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:	August 15, 2020
End Date:	July 31, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$308,121.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$308,121.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2020 = $308,121.00
History of Investigator:	Andrea Motto (Principal Investigator) andrea.motto@yale.edu Christopher Norris (Co-Principal Investigator) Dyanis Conrad (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Yale University 150 MUNSON ST NEW HAVEN CT  US  06511-3572 (203)785-4689
Sponsor Congressional District:	03
Primary Place of Performance:	Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History 170 Whitney Ave New Haven CT  US  06520-8118
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	03
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	FL6GV84CKN57
Parent UEI:	FL6GV84CKN57
NSF Program(s):	IUSE
Primary Program Source:	01002021DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):	8209
Program Element Code(s):	199800
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.050

ABSTRACT

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This project aims to study and break down the barriers that prevent young people of color from taking on leadership roles in geological and environmental sciences. Students from historically marginalized communities are ready to take on these roles and have an important part to play in finding solutions to the urgent environmental challenges that our society faces, and in bringing new and diverse perspectives to science. Unfortunately, the university departments that will provide this training are often poorly-prepared to welcome them. Students of color face systematic challenges that are deeply embedded in the structure of their universities. The project will apply critical frameworks in educational research to better understand barriers faced by young men and women of color who pursue earth and environmental science majors. The PIs will develop programs for high school and undergraduate students that offer exposure to careers, opportunities for leadership, and training on strategies that will help them overcome the ever-present barriers that they will encounter as students in predominantly white geoscience departments. The project builds on the work of an existing, and very successful museum youth program at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (YPM). It will directly impact 40-50 high school students in New Haven, Connecticut, and numerous graduate student and faculty mentors. As students progress into their undergraduate environmental science programs, they will be better positioned to recognize and challenge the existing power dynamics within their university communities.

This initiative will build upon an existing museum youth program, EVOLUTIONS, which serves 100 high school students each year at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (YPM). PIs Dr. Andrea Motto and Dr. Chris Norris will work with two cohorts of 20 EVOLUTIONS alumni along with staff from the Yale Peabody Museum, Dinosaur State Park, and the New Haven Climate Movement to create a network of support and resources for students during the formative years in which they select a college major. Using a critical pedagogy and Community Cultural Wealth framework, the PIs will construct a geoscience learning ecosystem for high school that will call out oppressive practices and encourage resilience and persistence in environmental science fields. Activities will include workshops, field trips, and intensive internships in geosciences with mentorship from BIPOC graduate students, and the research will use qualitative methods to investigate barriers to participation and tools for resilience.

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.

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