
NSF Org: |
RISE Integrative and Collaborative Education and Research (ICER) |
Recipient: |
|
Initial Amendment Date: | August 22, 2021 |
Latest Amendment Date: | August 22, 2021 |
Award Number: | 2146758 |
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, 2021 |
End Date: | August 31, 2023 (Estimated) |
Total Intended Award Amount: | $24,500.00 |
Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $24,500.00 |
Funds Obligated to Date: |
|
History of Investigator: |
|
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1125 W MAPLE ST STE 316 FAYETTEVILLE AR US 72701-3124 (479)575-3845 |
Sponsor Congressional District: |
|
Primary Place of Performance: |
340 N. Campus Dr., GEAR 216 Fayetteville AR US 72701-3124 |
Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
|
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
|
Parent UEI: |
|
NSF Program(s): | GOLD-GEO Opps LeadersDiversity |
Primary Program Source: |
|
Program Reference Code(s): |
|
Program Element Code(s): |
|
Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
HBCUs have limited capacity nationally to produce geoscientists. Of 103 HBCUs nationally, there are 23 that offer degree programs relevant to Earth and Geosciences and consequently, of interest to the National Association of Black Geoscientists (NABG). Most of these (20) are environmental science programs at BS, MS, or PHD level, but they also include geology BS (1), geosciences MS (1), and atmospheric sciences (BS, MS, PHD). Faculty in these HBCU programs, in particular, are underrepresented at STEM and Geosciences-oriented national conferences. A primary aim of this conference is to engage faculty in these programs to enhance their awareness of NABG and aid their participation in the organization as it strives to create a more inclusive 21st Century geosciences workforce. The project will provide support for key faculty in these programs to attend the conference, develop a network of professional NABG members with whom they may interact going forward, and become active members in a vibrant minority-serving STEM organization. The objective of the workshop is to determine how NABG might better serve HBCU faculty and the many students-of-color they serve nationwide.
This project seeks financial support from NSF for approximately 200 student participants and up to 30 faculty from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to attend the 40th Annual Technical Conference of NABG, 9-10 September 2021 on a virtual platform. For this year, the PI is actively recruiting faculty participants from the geoscience oriented degree programs (e.g. environmental and atmospheric sciences) at HBCUs. Faculty in these institutions and programs are historically under-represented at the NABG annual conference. The objective is to expand the disciplinary representation of NABG to include more people of color interested in environmental issues through engaging faculty at HBCUs. Expanding NABG membership with faculty in environmental sciences and atmospheric sciences at HBCUs will also significantly enhance visibility of NABG within the national cohort of 1890 Land Grant Institutions, and thus, enhance the stability and long-term viability of the organization.
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.
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.
The National Association of Black Geoscientists is a leading professional organization serving African Americans and Black people of other national origins within the national geosciences workforce. The 40th National Association of Black Geoscientists Annual Technical Conference: Looking Forward To The Future was convened 9-10 September 2021. For the 2nd consecutive year, the conference was hosted virtually as a consequence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the United States. The conference is student- centered, and the focus of all conference activities is to advance the scientific, engineering, and educational experience of African Americans, Black students of other national origins, and other students-of-color.
The conference featured:
1. Presentations for students:
a) Finding and Applying to Jobs: Resumes, Cover Letters, Networking, and Exploring Careers hosted by Dr, Val Sloan and Ms. Elise Mason (Universities Consortium for Atmospheric Research, UCAR);
b) Preparing for Grad School, a graduate student-led session about graduate school experiences/preparations featuring graduate students Ms. Mariama Feaster (U. of Alabama-Hunstville), Mr. Jordan Allen (U. of Massachusetts-Amherst), Mr. Tremond Thomas, Jr (U. of Texas-Arlington); Mr. Blake Stoner-Osborne (U. of Hawai’i-Manoa), and Mr. Wambubu Kironji (Duke U.).
2. Panel discussions and presentations from NABG professionals:
a) “Looking to the Future”, emphasizing focus on geologic roles in the future as they relate to managing carbon transitions to net zero, massive data management, global project and corporate finance, artificial intelligence, environmental justice, climate change, and planetary model generation. Panelists were Mr. Jordan Allen (Moderator, U. of Massachusetts-Amherst), Mr. Bruce Chalton (ExxonMobil), Dr. Vernon R. Morris (Arizona State University), Mr. Yannick Agbor (Amazon Web Services), Ms. Chioma Enechukwu (Madison Energy Investments), and Mr. Rob Schapiro (Microsoft Azure Energy Acceleration Program);
b) Presentation on opportunities with the USGS EDMAP Program led by USGS scientists Dr. Frederic (Ric) Wilson, Dr. Bernard Hubbard, Dr. Jeannine Cody.
3. Technical presentations featuring poster presentations of research by student participants. NABG professional members mentored students providing significant feedback on their individual presentations. Student presentations were judged by NABG professionals and top presenters in poster and oral formats were recognized with awards provided by NABG. A number of students were presenting at a professional conference for the first time, many also for their first time in a virtual conference setting.
4. An Exhibitor Showcase featuring virtual breakout rooms with industry, government, and academic exhibitors attending the conference. Conference participants could navigate among breakout rooms to interact directly with exhibitors. Exhibitors were American Geophysical Union (AGU), Auburn University – Department of Geosciences, British Petroleum (BP), California Institute of Technology, Geological Society of America (GSA), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s (Berkeley Lab) Earth & Environmental Sciences, National Science Foundation, United States Geological Survey, University of Alabama - Department of Geosciences, University of Arkansas – Fayetteville Environmental Dynamics and Geosciences, University of California – Irvine – Department of Earth Sciences.
5. Shared experiences as people-of-color in a profession where people-of-color are profoundly under-represented:
a) Panel discussion: Navigating and Finding Support in Majority White Spaces led by Dr. Dereka Carroll-Smith (National Institute of Standards), Mr. Dada Olamide (Alta Resources), Mr. Jordan Allen (U. of Massachusetts-Amherst);
b) Panel Discussion: Work-life Balance, Self Care, and Mental Health led by Dr. Melissa Burt (Colorado State University) and Dr. Rebecca Haacker (NCAR, NSF);
A record number of students 132 students attended the annual conference, an increase of 42% over the previous year (the virtual conference). NABG conferences have a high number of repeating student participants indicating continued engagement with the organization over multiple years. Many former student participants have progressed to the professional geoscience workforce. Former student participants are employed in the private sector, academia, and government agencies. In Spring 2022, NABG elected new officers. Six of nine positions on the NABG Executive Committee (President, Vice-President, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Member-at-Large) are now held by former student-participants who were supported by NSF awards to attend NABG Annual Technical Conferences.
There were 50 students attending for the first time and 82 students who had previously attended an NABG conference. There were 18 students from 3 HBCUs (Fort Valley State University, Tennessee State University, West Virginia State University). Students represented 70 universities across the United States and several international universities in Germany, Africa, and India. Since 2006, 497 unique students have participated 842 times (1.69 conferences per student) in the NABG Annual Technical Conference. The 2021 conference achieved near-gender parity; of those student participants who identified their gender, 52 were women (46.8%) and 59 were men (53.1%).
All participants received significant professional development opportunities and mentoring from geosciences professionals in the private sector, public sector, and academia. It is anticipated that many participants will advance academically or professionally and become contributing members of the national geosciences workforce. At least some participants are likely to become employed in the national geosciences workforce and return to the 2022 annual technical conference as professional members of NABG.
Last Modified: 09/13/2023
Modified by: Stephen K Boss
Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.