Developing an Urban Field Course

This project, titled "An Urban Field Course" and managed by faculty from Indiana University, aims to serve the national interest through the creation of a geoscience course focused on preparing future generations of STEM professionals with skills applicable to addressing pressing urban environmental issues. The course will bring students from multiple disciplines together in a field-intensive, lab-intensive, and community-engaged course. The course will also be designed to solidify partnerships between the university and local communities through integrating direct interaction with community groups, companies, and agencies. Working with local stakeholders fosters educational experiences with greater potential to train scientists practiced in communicating science effectively and promoting scientific transparency. The urban setting provides students with experience relevant to career paths in key areas that address community needs. Contextualizing instructional activities within an urban framework has been shown to be key in preparing geoscientists prepared to solve urban geological and environmental problems. This project will provide students with an array of peer-novice opportunities in field and laboratory settings while engaging with public-private partnerships. The project aims to support students’ attainment of career-focused technical and soft skills associated with working across disciplines and communicating scientific concepts effectively. Students will also develop proficiencies in using scientific methods, AI-enhanced analytical methods, and Gold Standard Science principles. Training the next generation of urban geoscientists, tapping into students’ passions for giving back to their communities, and facilitating a course relevant to other disciplines that work in similar contexts increase the potential to make urban geoscience careers appealing to a wider array of students. As such, this project is designed to expand the pool of students entering the geoscience fields and strengthening the nation's STEM workforce. The project will build on established relationships with community partners and holds great potential to demonstrate to community members that pursuing geoscience studies can lead to viable and rewarding careers. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. 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.