Promoting Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Through a Seagoing GEO-STEM Learning Ecosystem: the STEM Student Experiences Aboard Ships (STEMSEAS) Project

Abstract:

The STEM Student Experiences Aboard Ships (STEMSEAS) Project leverages available capacity on ships of the U.S. Academic Fleet during transits to provide high-impact experiences to diverse cohorts of undergraduates. The success of STEMSEAS since 2016 has been possible thanks to a foundational principle that is relevant to creating and maintaining any robust GEO-STEM Learning Ecosystem: building trust-based partnerships. In this case the partnerships are between STEMSEAS and the operators of vessels in the University National Oceanographic Laboratories System (UNOLS) and with UNOLS leadership. Given that UNOLS supports facilities that are tools of basic research spanning myriad disciplines, the organization is appropriately mission driven. In order for STEMSEAS to have substantial impact on undergraduate participants, graduate student near-peer mentors, and faculty/professional mentors (thereby creating a robust and sustainable learning ecosystem) the PIs recognized that full transparency was essential. The fruits of our partnership with UNOLS include: (1) ship operators routinely approach STEMSEAS PIs with transit opportunities; (2) they provide opportunities for limited data collection and operations during transits; and (3) our student participants regularly comment on their strong positive experiences with the both ship crews and the vessels themselves. Owing to the current pandemic it was not possible to send students to sea in 2020. In pivoting to alternate activities for our pool of applicants, STEMSEAS has worked with UNOLS to actively seek opportunities to leverage telepresence for ship-to-shore experiences – a win/win situation for both students and science/technical parties on shore and ships. The success of any such effort also depends on UNOLS communicating the value of the opportunity to PIs that have specific research objectives on their agendas. Importantly, COVID-19 operational considerations mean downsized science crews, and therefore high demands at sea. Nonetheless, with UNOLS help, STEMSEAS has been greeted with enthusiasm for providing virtual experiences for our students during 2020. We will report on our pre- and syn-pandemic approaches to building the STEMSEAS GEO-STEM learning ecosystem.