| 英文摘要: | Non technical:
The BEST (Bridge and Earth Science Training) program is a new high school bridge program between North Texas high schools and Midwestern State University (MSU) that acts a conduit to educate students, teachers and parents about the opportunities for geoscience careers. Each summer, a cohesive long-term cohort of high school juniors will begin an inquiry based geoscience camp at MSU. The BEST camp will focus on developing the relationship between the student and local industry professionals, and learning how real geologists apply scientific concepts to their careers. Field trips to active workplaces and laboratories will reinforce this link and provide additional exposure to the role of geoscientists in the real world. Each member of the cohort will participate in a research project on water quality and environmental parameters in conjunction with the Red River Authority (RRA) and Texas Stream Team (TST). The students will learn to take measurements from industry professionals, and their data will contribute to an ongoing research collaboration between MSU, RRA, and TST. Each member of the cohort will be provided with an invitation to attend MSU as a geosciences major, and they will have the opportunity to continue their research as a part of their undergraduate experience. More than 143,000 geoscientists are expected to retire in the next 10 years, and our project aims to train sufficient professionals to meet the demand in energy and hydrology workers across the United States. This project will allow students to explore new opportunities by working with professional geoscientists and engage with career-relevant, field-based research that will allow them to build a successful career. By generating career-relevant experiences in geoscience education, the BEST program works towards providing a brighter future for Earth-related fields that promote clean air and water, secure our energy future, and promote public understanding of science.
Technical:
The BEST Program will establish a multi-year research collaboration among academia, industry, and government employees, which will engage geoscience professionals in the training of future geoscientists.
The first component of the BEST Program is an inquiry-based residential geoscience camp each summer. A cohesive, long-term cohort of high school juniors and seniors will learn how geoscientists apply scientific concepts to real-world problems. Each participant in the camp will be trained by scientists from the local Red River Authority (RRA) and the Texas Stream Team (TST) to participate in the TST water quality monitoring program using protocols established by the Texas Council on Environmental Quality. BEST students will investigate and test hypotheses related to the relative contribution of various forcings such as variation in rainfall severity, extended dry or seasonal changes, and rates of change of key water parameters to overall water quality in the Red River watershed. During this 7-10 day experience, the BEST Program will focus on developing the relationship between the student, MSU geoscience faculty, local geoscience professionals, and current MSU students who will serve as BEST Camp counselors. Field trips to workplaces and laboratories reinforce this link and provide additional exposure to the role of geoscientists in the real world. Cohort members will be invited to attend MSU as geosciences majors, where they continue their research and engage in geoscience data gathering and analysis activities, present to and meet with professionals involved in similar work, and share their experiences with other students. Through this collaboration, students? research will inform policy makers as they make decisions related to land use, water use, or permitting, which will impact residents in the Holliday Creek and Red River Watersheds. The BEST Program will also test the IUSE Geopaths Program's Theory of Change, which is that novel, authentic, career-relevant geoscience experiences will increase the students? desire to pursue degrees and geo-related careers. |