REU Site: Earth Science on Volcanic Islands

The NSF REU Site Earth Science on Volcanic Islands (ESVI) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s (UHM) School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) aims to support the education, training, and professional development of 30 emerging STEM undergraduate students from across the nation. The ESVI REU site provides a place-based learning and research environment supported by field excursions, thematic workshops and seminars, and several research projects that target the significance of Earth science on volcanic islands. The program will populate the REU cohort with students attending institutions that are STEM-limited. Transformative field and research experiences provide lasting impacts on students as they consider future career opportunities. Emphasizing the unique place-based learning opportunities that the Hawaiian islands provide, the Earth Science on Volcanic Islands REU Site at the University of Hawaiʻi is structured around a wide range of environmental, (bio)geochemical, geophysical, and oceanographic research. The objectives of the ESVI REU Site renewal are to provide cutting-edge STEM research and professional development opportunities that will (1) Promote an increased participation of undergraduate students in the geosciences; (2) Expose students to extraordinary field excursions that illuminate the pioneering efforts of geoscientists studying Earth science on volcanic islands and the culture, ecology, and geophysics of the Hawaiian islands; (3) Strengthen students’ science communication skills; (4) Help prepare students for a career in the STEM workforce; and (5) Foster a supportive and interconnected foundation for each student cohort. To meet these objectives, the ESVI REU Site requires a broad range of programmatic elements: (1) Communication of cross-cultural opportunities via social media and student blogs; (2) Provision of mentor training; (3) Implementation of a Hawaiʻi Island field trip and R/V Kilo Moana student research cruise; (4) Provision of professional development workshops and service learning activities; (5) Provision of writing workshops and mentoring to assist with the development of oral/poster presentations and research reports; and (6) Facilitation of team-building activities throughout the REU program to promote a healthy, collegial, connected, and motivated cohort. Anticipated outcomes are an exceptional cohort of students that will (1) gain invaluable exposure to geoscience research and career opportunities, (2) receive relevant skillset development and exposure to a range of research opportunities, (3) receive science writing and presentation experience, and (4) perceive a beneficial and collegial association with the ESVI ‘ohana (family). 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.