Abstract
Twenty-five students participated in an undergraduate research experience funded over two years (2021 and 2022) by the National Science Foundation Pathways into the Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences (GEOPAths) program. This program included a 2-week field-based research experience in May followed by a 15-week course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) during the fall semester. The goal of this project was to attract, retain, and graduate a diverse group of students in a new environmental geology bachelor of science program, with a specific focus on recruiting Hispanic and female students. In the program, 27% of the students were Hispanic, and 58% were female. The students investigated barrier island groundwater and aqueous geochemistry and the mineralogy of calcite. All field work was conducted in southwest Florida, close to the university. An assessment based on creative exercises was given as pre- and post-tests. The mean score for the May field experience pretests was 10.56/24, while the score for the May field experience post-test was 16.24/24. The mean score at the end of the fall CURE was 21.16/24. A paired two-sample t test for means was given at the end of the combined May field-based research experience (t score=6.04; p value <0.001; effect size=1.13) and again at the end of the fall semester CURE (t score=11.05; p value <0.001; effect size=2.50). Results suggest a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-test scores. An attitude survey based on a former CURE survey was also given at the end of both research experiences. The students self-reported that this research experience increased their confidence to conduct more research, and particularly research with an outdoor component; helped them identify as a scientist; and positively influenced their decision to major in environmental geology. Combining a summer-based research experience with a fall CURE course effectively attracted, retained, and sustained students in the geosciences, and both field-based research experiences and CUREs provided comparable benefits to geoscience majors with other research experiences.
