Programs to build capacity in geosciences at HBCUs and MSIs: Examples from North Carolina A&T State University

Abstract

Increasing diversity in the geosciences has remained a challenge, despite large investments made by federal agencies in minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and historically black universities and colleges (HBCUs). With increasing challenges associated with climate and environmental change and severe and frequent natural disasters that disproportionately affect underrepresented minorities, HBCUs and MSIs are primed to lead the creation of a diverse workforce responding to these challenges. In this article, I use as examples the outcomes, successes, and challenges of two federally funded programs to increase diversity in the geosciences at an HBCU: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCAT). The lessons learned from these programs and best practices and strategies that could be applied to build and sustain geosciences programs at HBCUs and MSIs are presented. The programs were the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Educational Partnership program (EPP)-funded NOAA Interdisciplinary Scientific Environmental Technology Cooperative Science Center (ISETCSC) involving two HBCUs and three MSIs and the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG) Track I at an HBCU and Track 2 involving two HBCUs and two MSIs. One of the successfully accomplished goals of the ISETCSC was increasing research capacity in NOAA-relevant STEM areas at HBCUs and MSIs and building sustained research and educational capacity in the atmospheric sciences at NCAT. The OEDG Track 1 program, however, failed to develop a sustained geophysics program at NCAT. These experiences showed that one-time funding might not be enough to grow programs to be self-sustaining at these institutions, unless the programs are incorporated in their long-term strategic plans. Furthermore, when institutions apply for and receive grants for new program development in the geosciences, they need to be accountable in fulfilling the commitments and promises expressed in acquiring the funds.

Keywords:

• Diversity
• geosciences
• interdisciplinary training
• federal lab university partnership

Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges all the Co-PI’s (in particular Dr. Keith Schimmel and Dr. Yuh-Lang Lin) and partners of the NOAA-ISETCSC Center who contributed to the success of the center. The author acknowledges the collaborators in the NSF-OEDG Track I and II programs and NSF-PIRE that contributed to the geophysics program at NCAT. The editorial help provided by Mr. Paul Tuttle, NCAT director of proposal development, is acknowledged. The author also acknowledges the stimulating discussions on diversity in geosciences with Dr. Vernon Morris (Howard University), Dr. Belay Demoz (UMBC), Dr. Melissa Burt (CSU), and Dr. Ambrose Jearld (NTA). The author also acknowledges the NCAT geosciences committee (Drs Manoj Jha, Keith Schimmel, Vereda King, Williams, George Stone, and Greg Goins) for various discussions to address this issue.

Additional information

Funding

Programs described in this work were supported by the Department of Commerce NOAA-EPP under grant number NA06OAR4810187; The National Science Foundation under grant numbers NSF#0302967; and NSF#0914415.