Broadening participation in (sub)Urban watershed Science in the Southeast (BUSS)

As a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) with a strong focus on water sciences, the Georgia State University (GSU) and Department of Geosciences (GEOS) are uniquely positioned for future collaborations with Department of Energy labs, including Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL). The objectives of this grant are to (1) help develop partnerships between GEOS and DOE by addressing barriers to previous collaborations and engaging students and faculty at GEOS with ORNL facilities and research, (2) strengthen the pipeline for historically minoritized scientists from GEOS to ORNL by creating research and training opportunities, and (3) solidify and continue the partnership beyond this grant. Barriers to GEOS faculty participation in previous DOE research include high teaching and student supervisory loads limiting faculty time to write proposals and low funding for Master’s students through traditional, graduate teaching assistantship routes. This project aims to address both barriers by providing funding for two M.S. thesis students and six undergraduate students, who will be partially supervised by DOE staff. Funded students will undertake research projects related to the ORNL BER Critical Interfaces Scientific Focus Area and for anticipated Urban Integrated Field Laboratory proposals. Along with building partnerships through student research, GEOS will help increase equity and diversity in geosciences, one of the least-diverse science, technology, and mathematics field by exposing its uniquely diverse student population to the research and job opportunities at ORNL and providing these research and engagement opportunities to a diverse set of students. GEOS students and faculty participating will attend ESS PI meetings, GEOS faculty will give seminars at ORNL, and ORNL staff will visit GEOS to speak about research and training opportunities. Building this partnership by addressing barriers to previous engagement at GSU will help create a foundation for future collaborations and proposals with the Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division of DOE.