Revolutionizing how we train the next generation of scientists
The Institute's Education, Training, Diversifying, and Outreach (ETDO) team includes researchers, educators, and trainees who use education and outreach as tools to understand the formation of science identity, engage students in authentic science experiences, and increase PEER representation in plant/ag science careers through educational support and recruitment.
Restoration requires a diverse, nimble workforce that understands relationships between plants, communities, and the soil ecosphere. The Institute leverages well-established programs at partner institutions and constructs highly integrated education, training, diversifying, and outreach activities intentionally designed with many points of entry and ready mobility across participating labs and institutions.
Many points of entry and ready mobility across participating labs and institutions
The STEM workforce relies on diverse backgrounds, viewpoints, and experiences to improve innovation and outcomes, yet remains underrepresented by minority ethnic groups, Persons Excluded [from STEM] due to Ethnicity or Race (PEER). Research experiences for students are successful strategies for growing and diversifying the STEM workforce. In an effort to increase diversity and inclusion in science, and to promote growth and persistence in science careers, we propose three goals. Goal 1: Diversify. Create and foster an inclusive culture to recruit and retain PEER scientists. Goal 2: Educate. Provide meaningful research experiences through Institute projects and network trainees to one another and to the extended network of the Institute. Goal 3: Train. Establish a multi-tiered training program to foster supportive leaders and mentors. While goal 1 creates an inclusive Institute culture supporting diversity, goal 3 expands the scope of the Institute’s culture to include good mentorship and leadership practices for trainees. We will interweave these goals into a cohesive Institute Diversity, Education, and. Training (DET) program.
Goal 1: Diversifying through establishing an inclusive culture
A vibrant and diverse STEM pipeline is critical to the nation’s economy, innovation capability, and economic prosperity. In an effort to address this need, there is a nation-wide call to action regarding increasing PEER scientists through early engagement in STEM research. Creating an inclusive culture for diversity, which includes respecting and appreciating the intellectual and humanistic qualities of PEER Institute members, moves beyond equitable practices and is essential to supporting their success.
A vibrant and diverse STEM pipeline is critical to the nation’s economy, innovation capability, and economic prosperity. In an effort to address this need, there is a nation-wide call to action regarding increasing PEER scientists through early engagement in STEM research. Creating an inclusive culture for diversity, which includes respecting and appreciating the intellectual and humanistic qualities of PEER Institute members, moves beyond equitable practices and is essential to supporting their success.
Goal 2: Integrated education and opportunity through a collaborative network of trainees
The proposed Institute is made up of a diverse array of organizations, including private basic science and agriculture research, public universities, and a botanical garden. Each institution’s designated education lead (see Project Management) will work with DEI advisors and leverage existing programs within respective institutions to recruit PEER trainees to the Institute. In each year, partner institutions will support trainees at the high school, undergraduate (REU), graduate, and postdoctoral levels. Trainees will be vertically integrated within the Institute, working as part of local teams on specific projects (see Research Activities). In addition, trainees will engage with the broader Institute through regular in-person and virtual Institute-wide activities and participation with Expertise Cores. We will actively promote student advancement and cross-institution activities that assist trainees in moving from their first Institute training experience to a second one in another Institute organization.
The proposed Institute is made up of a diverse array of organizations, including private basic science and agriculture research, public universities, and a botanical garden. Each institution’s designated education lead (see Project Management) will work with DEI advisors and leverage existing programs within respective institutions to recruit PEER trainees to the Institute. In each year, partner institutions will support trainees at the high school, undergraduate (REU), graduate, and postdoctoral levels. Trainees will be vertically integrated within the Institute, working as part of local teams on specific projects (see Research Activities). In addition, trainees will engage with the broader Institute through regular in-person and virtual Institute-wide activities and participation with Expertise Cores. We will actively promote student advancement and cross-institution activities that assist trainees in moving from their first Institute training experience to a second one in another Institute organization.
Goal 3: Leadership and mentorship training
Quality mentorship and leadership skills are more important now than ever before as we simultaneously grow collaborations between researchers, institutions, and disciplines while endeavoring to break down the barriers in science that prevent PEER students from becoming practicing scientists. We propose a leadership and mentorship training program that includes all levels of trainees, from high school students (see Outreach Activities) through postdocs. The formal leadership and mentorship training program will provide senior mentors (graduate students, postdocs, technicians) and junior mentors (REU students and, later in the summer, high school students) the opportunity to practice, discuss, and receive feedback on mentoring. REU students will have the opportunity to not only be mentored but also mentor high school students (see Outreach Activities), promoting leadership skills. These well-designed, equitable mentorship experiences will also serve as recruitment strategies for PEER students into the Institute.
Quality mentorship and leadership skills are more important now than ever before as we simultaneously grow collaborations between researchers, institutions, and disciplines while endeavoring to break down the barriers in science that prevent PEER students from becoming practicing scientists. We propose a leadership and mentorship training program that includes all levels of trainees, from high school students (see Outreach Activities) through postdocs. The formal leadership and mentorship training program will provide senior mentors (graduate students, postdocs, technicians) and junior mentors (REU students and, later in the summer, high school students) the opportunity to practice, discuss, and receive feedback on mentoring. REU students will have the opportunity to not only be mentored but also mentor high school students (see Outreach Activities), promoting leadership skills. These well-designed, equitable mentorship experiences will also serve as recruitment strategies for PEER students into the Institute.
Outreach and Engagement activities
Research clearly demonstrates the benefits of student engagement in extracurricular STEM enrichment experiences in terms of interest and commitment to STEM careers. However, access to these opportunities is often limited for underrepresented minority (URM) students from low-income communities and predominantly minority schools. Moreover, STEM self-efficacy and identity, critical factors in aspiring to STEM fields and careers, are often lacking among URM students. The goals of the outreach and engagement program are to (1) provide an opportunity for Institute participants to communicate and disseminate the research from the Institute to the public and (2) engage high school PEER students in science research and communication to increase science identity and interest in science careers. Engaging PEER high school students in a summer Institute science research program provides these students an opportunity to increase their self-efficacy and science identity while building the skills necessary to pursue a STEM major and career. Along with engaging high school PEER students in science research, our multi-site, multi-institution outreach program will provide opportunities for these young students, along with other Institute trainees and researchers, to communicate to the public the important science being done by the Institute. Through public engagement, we can increase awareness of important science topics, address individual misconceptions of science, and improve the public’s science literacy and attitude toward science.