Leveraging Research Experiences to Teach Geoscience Industry Skills: A New Take on the Senior Thesis

Abstract:

Internships have long been recognized as vital experiences that allow geoscience students to develop not only their technical skills, but many professional skills such as writing, collaboration, leadership, and project management. Despite the recognition of the importance of these experiences, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) 2018 Status of the Geoscience Work found that only 35%-40% of students graduating with bachelor’s degrees participate in internships. Barriers to participation may include lack of department resources, limited locally available internships, minimum GPA requirements, and financial considerations (paid vs. unpaid). While some geoscience degree programs incorporate internships into their core course requirements, most do not.

Alternatively, the AGI Report found that nearly 80% of bachelor’s level students participated in at least one research experience, including senior thesis experiences, prior to graduation. Depending on the experience and expertise of the advisor, however, these research experiences often focus on developing students’ skills for graduate-level research rather than industry or government roles. While many of the skills sought by employers overlap with those required for graduate research, placing emphasis on the skills that employers reported as under-developed allows student interns to list specific, job-oriented skills on their resumes and be more competitive upon graduation.

To provide students with an opportunity to develop skills similar to those developed in a typical internship, an “industry-standard” senior thesis pilot program has been designed for workforce-bound geology undergraduates. An emphasis is placed on developing professional skills that were considered high importance in the 2018 AGI Report. Student deliverables include a final technical report and presentation, sampling site assessment, weekly work summary reports, conference abstract submission, and budget and expenditure reports. Self assessments administered prior to beginning work, after six months, and after completion will provide insights into which activities provide the most opportunities for growth. Here, we present the example workflow and progress of the first students to trial this program.