Progress 09/01/05 to 08/31/10
Outputs
Using a research-based bridging strategy between the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and Texas A&M University at College Station (TAMU), the objectives of this project focused on 1) recruiting and retaining under-represented students in the environmental science undergraduate and graduate programs at UTSA; and 2) augmenting minority enrollment in MS and PhD degree studies at UTSA and in the Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management, since renamed Ecosystem Science and Management (ESSM), and other environmental science programs at TAMU. The bridge created by this project principally addressed student recruitment and retention, and included student financial assistance to ensure their continuation with the programs. Historically, recruitment of under-represented students for non-Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) such as Texas A&M University has been a challenge because of low representation. This project addressed student experiential learning by establishing direct links between students and mentors at both UTSA and TAMU, and easing the transition between HSI and larger land-grant university campus environments. Establishing these linkages was essential for the recruitment of under-represented students into employment with federal agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture, because many programs at smaller HSI's do not meet the curriculum requirements of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's natural resource-related positions. Tools that were used to enhance recruitment and retention included (a) a Survival Skills course, (b) seminars involving researchers from UTSA and TAMU, (c) hands-on research projects for undergraduates, (d) field trips, and (e) personal coaching and follow-up from mentors and project coordinators. Twenty-two students in 4 cohorts and 3 summer field trips (2006, 2007, and 2009) participated in the project (10 Hispanic females, 4 Hispanic males, 3 Caucasian females, 2 Asian females, 2 Asian males, and 1 African American female). PRODUCTS: Products included a Survival Skills course (ES 4951 / Special Topics Class: Survival Skills for Environmental Science Students I & II) taught by Dr. Paul Jurena in Fall 2006 (6 students), Fall 2007 (9 students), Spring 2007 (7 students), Spring 2008 (4 students), and Fall 2008 (7 students), which was used to recruit and select students for continued participation in the program. Topics covered in the course were resume writing, job markets, scientific writing, oral and poster presentations, data collection, funding opportunities, and applying for graduate school. Seminars took place each month and were presented by various researchers from TAMU in order to expose students to the range of potential graduate research opportunities. Twenty-two seminars were conducted, covering a wide range of topics in ecosystem management and rangeland ecology. Three field trips took place during summer semesters of 2006, 2007, and 2009. Because funding was extended to cover only until 2009, the 2009 cohort did not receive further tracking after the field trip. However, an undergraduate student from this cohort received the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greater Research Opportunity (GRO) Fellowship to financially support her academic education and research endeavors, while one of the graduate students received UTSA Hispanic Leadership Fellowship to finish her M.S. In addition, all students from that final cohort have demonstrated interest in attending TAMU for their graduate degrees. At UTSA, mentoring relationships were established between students and the PI's. Fifteen students were placed in summer hands-on internships, and provided with financial support. A project coordinator, Dr. Diana Doan-Crider, was also hired to provide additional mentoring, and to assist students with graduate project placement and tracking. Evaluations for this project were conducted through written, online, and oral surveys. In addition, students were interviewed informally to extract additional perceptions and potential problem areas. Written surveys were given before and after graduate enrollment in the Survival Skills course. Online surveys were given after students transitioned from UTSA to graduate school at TAMU. Personal monitoring was conducted throughout the entire period. OUTCOMES: Fifteen students in 4 cohorts participated in the experiential components of the project (9 Hispanic females, 3 Hispanic males, 1 Caucasian female, 1 Asian female, and 1 African American female). UTSA students conducted research in campus laboratories, and off site, including a military depot and a private ranch. Topics of research included bioremediation, soil nutrient ecology, vegetation restoration, microbial ecology, soil moisture status along a grassland to woodland continuum, and water quality and nutrient status of an underground aquifer. All students received summer stipends for their research, and were supervised by respective professors. Two UTSA students entered completed their M.S. degrees at TAMU, and were also funded by TAMU's Diversity Fellowship. Three students completed M.S. degrees at UTSA. Four funded students entered into the Ph.D. program at TAMU and are currently completing their course of study. One Hispanic female student received her M.S. at TAMU, and was funded for her first year in her Ph.D. studies. An outstanding graduate student was ultimately chosen for UTSA, and she completed her M.S. degree in Spring 2009 with matching funds from the UTSA Center for Water Research (CWR). Student familiarization with careers in natural resources and recruitment from smaller HSI's to larger land grant universities was enhanced. Based on participant surveys, 83% of students felt they had a better understanding of the types of jobs available to natural resource professionals who attend graduate school. All students felt the program motivated them to attend graduate school, and 66% agreed that the activities in the program prepared them for school. All students felt the program inspired them to take their studies seriously, and allowed them to see their potential as an active professional in this field. Half ranked the Survival Skills course as either Excellent or Good, and all students ranked the field trips course as either Excellent or Good. Hands-on research was ranked as 83% either Excellent or Good, and 83% ranked the mentor relationships as either Excellent or Good. When asked how they would improve the program, students suggested (1) that more field trips be included and extended for longer periods of time; (2) more frequent visits with mentors to ensure project success; (3) establishing more agency partnerships; and (4) introducing a survival kit for the first year of graduate school. At the time of the online survey, 3 of the program's graduate students were fully enrolled at TAMU. Two of the 3 graduate students at TAMU minded the fact that TAMU was traditionally not a Hispanic-serving institution. The third student, however, did not mind. All of the graduate students agreed that more assistance was needed for the transition between UTSA to TAMU. Most students did not clearly understand their options for choosing a major professor and project before they made the transition from UTSA. Of the factors influencing students' attendance at TAMU, funding ranked the highest, with professor and project ranking second highest. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Advertisement flyers and posters were disseminated to campuses including UTSA and surrounding community colleges. Students, both inside and outside of the project, received information about potential research opportunities and projects at Texas A&M University, USDA-NRCS, and UTSA. A website was constructed (http://www.tamubridge.edu.), but is no longer active FUTURE INITIATIVES: While this project is no longer operating at UTSA, a modification of this grant was submitted by another HSI in conjunction with TAMU, and was approved. Because of the USDA's initiative to hire Hispanic/Latino graduates, the bridge program with larger land grant universities is essential in allowing students to acquire courses that are not taught at smaller campuses, but are required by the US Office of Personnel Management for most natural resource related positions. In addition, because of its success in augmenting numbers of underrepresented students in the ESSM Department, TAMU is implementing this approach as part of its initiative to recruit and retain underrepresented students from other HSI's, Historically Black Colleges, and Tribal Colleges. The program is being further developed to transition students into agency employment through Student Career Employment Program (SCEP).
Impacts
Project impacts occurred at 3 levels: (1) the number of UTSA students given a greater understanding about careers in fields related to environmental science; (2) the number of Hispanic/Latino graduate students at UTSA given a greater understanding about opportunities for graduate studies; and (3) the number of TAMU faculty given a greater understanding about the potential graduate students from UTSA. Benefits to UTSA and TAMU occurred at 2 levels: (1) programs at both institutions were enhanced due to increased exposure to programs that could be bridged, augmenting student employment opportunities with agencies requiring courses in the ESSM curriculum; and (2) a mechanism for recruiting students from smaller HSI's into larger land grant universities that offer advanced curricula was created. Benefits to local Hispanic/Latino communities occurred at 4 levels: (1) Hispanic/Latino students are more aware of careers in natural resources, and are likely to mentor and encourage students in Hispanic/Latino communities to enter into natural resource careers; (2) Hispanic/Latino students are more aware of higher education opportunities; (3) natural resource conservation will increase within Hispanic/Latino communities because of participation by members of those same communities; and (3) the U.S. workforce will be augmented by motivated and educated Hispanic/Latino students entering into natural resource related fields, which meets the increasing demands for minority professionals in natural resource conservation, and contributes to the economic base of Hispanic/Latino communities.
Publications
- Sosa, G., W.E. Rogers, C.A. Taylor, Jr., D. Twidwell. 2009. Managing a disturbed ecosystem: prescribed fires and herbivory effectively control Opuntia cacti invasions. 19th World Conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration International. Perth, WA, Australia,
- Ariza, M. 2007. Comparison of soil properties in Prosopis glandulosa (mesquite) and Acacia farnesiana (huisache) communities. MS Thesis, University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Ariza, M. and J. K. Bush. 2008. Comparison of soil properties in Prosopis glandulosa (mesquite) and Acacia farnesiana (huisache) communities. 93 rd Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
- Rogers, W. E., D. Twidwell, G. Sosa, and C. A. Taylor. 2010. Restoring shrub invaded rangelands with prescribed extreme fires. 95th Annual Meeting of the Ecology Society of America, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- Rogers, W. E., D. Twidwell, G. Sosa, and G. A. Taylor. 2010. Prescribed extreme fire for restoring Texas rangelands degraded by persistent invasive plants. Society for Range Management and Weed Science Society of America, Denver, Colorado.
- Sosa, G., K. Murray, O.W. Van Auken. 2007. Soil comparison of the soil survey geographic (SSURGO) database to laboratory measured soil parameters for Bexar, County, Texas National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). San Rafael, California.
- Sosa, G., W. E. Rogers, C. A. Taylor, and D. Twidwell. 2009. Restoring a degraded rangeland: using fire and herbivory to control Opuntia cacti encroachment. 19th Conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration International, Perth, Australia.
|
Progress 09/01/07 to 08/31/08
Outputs
Using a research-based bridge strategy between the University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas A&M University at College Station, this project focuses on recruiting and retaining under-represented students in environmental science undergraduate and graduate programs at UTSA. The bridge of this project principally addresses student recruitment and retention to ensure their continuation. This project addresses student experiential learning establishing direct links between students and mentors at both institutions, and easing transition between the institutions. Tools that used to enhance recruitment and retention include a Survival Skills course, seminars, hands-on research projects, field trips, and personal coaching and follow-up from mentors and project coordinators. Field trips were conducted at the end of each academic year to match students with graduate school advisors and projects. Evaluation for this project is being conducted through written and oral surveys (pre- and post), and portfolios of individual students and their success. Results are evaluated based on a Likert Scale. Personal monitoring is conducted to ensure ease of transition from undergraduate to graduate experience. Initial applications for this program were received from 10 students (6 Hispanic, 1 African-American, 2 financially disadvantaged and 1 not categorized) where 6 students were selected (4 Hispanic; 2 new and 3 continuing their BS and MS degrees). One student was unable to continue with the project due to personal reasons leaving 5 students. Topics of research included soil nutrient ecology, vegetation restoration, insect ecology, soil moisture status, as well as water quality status of an underground aquifer on the Edwards Plateau. Faculty time charged to the grant was used to continue promotion of the program to surrounding universities. Faculty time was also used to set-up research projects, select students, and conduct administrative duties for the project. The 5 selected students have been funded for the summer to conduct research projects with various faculty members at UTSA. Travel funds were used to fund field trips to study sites. Supply funds were used for laboratory supplies and field equipment. Two courses were continued, including a colloquium class for graduate students and a Survival Skills seminar for undergraduates. The outstanding graduate student at UTSA is continuing with her research project (completion of her degree in Summer 2009). Her funding was continued through 2009 by funds from the Center for Water Research at UTSA. PRODUCTS: Products for this project included student stipends which supported research efforts for all seven students. A publication is in progress, and will submitted to a peer-reviewed publication when final results are summarized in 2009. Bodour, A.A., Jurena, P.N., Bush, J.K. 2005 (updated 2008). Flyer and poster for Bridge the Gap Program. Bodour, A.A., Jurena, P.N., Bush, J.K. 2005 (updated 2008). Website for Bridge the Gap Program. http://www.tamubridge.edu. OUTCOMES: Students, both inside and outside of the project, received information about potential research opportunities and projects at Texas A&M University, USDA-NRCS, and UTSA. Students were exposed to research methods from several faculty members at UTSA and TAMU, and performed experiments that will be continuing throughout next year. Two MS students are currently working on a thesis option in Environmental Science. The Outstanding MS student is working on her thesis and has expressed interest in continuing her graduate work at the PhD level. Additional undergraduate students are working on research in Environmental Science. One former UTSA undergraduate student is now pursuing a MS degree at TAMU, along with the 4 students from Cohort 1 who enrolled at TAMU in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. All 4 students received Diversity Scholarships from TAMU for their graduate term (2-3 years). Both PhD students received Sloan Fellowships for graduate research. From preliminary written survey results, 83% of students felt they had a better understanding of the types of jobs available to natural resource professionals who attend graduate school. All students felt the program motivated them to attend graduate school, and 66% agreed that the activities in the program prepared them for graduate school. All students felt the program inspired them to take their studies more seriously, and allowed them to see their potential as an active professional in this field. Half ranked the Survival Skills course as either Excellent or Good, and all students ranked the field trips course as either Excellent or Good. Hands-on research was ranked as 83% either Excellent or Good, and 83% ranked the mentor relationships as either Excellent or Good. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Flyers and website information was used to publicize the project through the Texas Hispanic Serving Institutions Consortium, and was disseminated to various campuses (including UTSA) throughout the state of Texas. Class announcements were made throughout the College of Sciences at UTSA by the PD and PI's of the project. FUTURE INITIATIVES: We are planning to submit a new grant to continue the effort to promote minority involvement with environmental science and agricultural science research. Funding initiatives also include a proposal to continue restoration research at a private ranch. We are also planning to involve additional faculty members from UTSA and TAMU, and possibly expand the program to other institutions and departments.
Impacts
We are expecting additional students to apply for the program this fall and spring, which would increase the number of students to 9 through our new undergraduate and graduate courses. We plan to include distance learning seminars as part of the project expansion. This year, UTSA students met with the project's TAMU students and were surprised by their knowledge as well as their individual motivation for the project. Students involved in the summer program are currently being assisted by this project's faculty in applying to graduate school at TAMU. Assistance includes the development of personal statements, letters of reference, GRE test preparation, and matching them to TAMU faculty in the area of interest for graduate school. We are anticipating that 4-5 students will apply to TAMU in the next year. Faculty members have been collaborating on several projects for future work within this project.
Publications
- Publications are in progress and will be submitted to peer reviewed journals. There were advertisement flyers and posters (updated 2007) that were disseminated to campuses including UTSA and surrounding universities and colleges.
|
Progress 09/01/06 to 08/31/07
Outputs
Our program has continued training, mentoring, and research to enhance student involvement in environmental sciences from the previous report (August 2006). The summer program had ten applicants (spring 2007) in which seven students were selected (six Hispanic students and one underrepresented student). The seven students selected were funded for the summer to do research projects with various faculty members at UTSA. The hands-on research focused on two sites: Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, San Antonio, TX and C.L. Browning Ranch, Johnson City, TX. Topics of research included soil nutrient ecology, vegetation restoration and insect ecology from invasive monoculture to native grasses, soil and plant isotope chemistry, spectral chemistry, root-plant interaction as well as water quality and nutrient status of a freshwater lake system and stream systems on the Edwards Plateau. Faculty time charged to the grant was used in the past year to mentor, advised, and support
research for both the undergraduate and graduate students in the program in addition to advertising the program to UTSA and the surrounding universities in San Antonio and south Texas region. Faculty also spent time setting-up research projects, student selection, recruiting, website development, and administrative duties for the program. Travel funds and research supplies were provided to the students to fund the research and access to study sites. All seven students and two UTSA faculty visited TAMU during the summer to meet TAMU faculty, learn about their research, and opportunities to obtain graduate degrees in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. We continued our two semester survival skills courses for undergraduates plus we provided a colloquium course for graduate students to enhance their professional development. In these courses 5-6 seminars were given by TAMU faculty members, TAMU graduate students, and/or NRCS employee (former MS student from TAMU) (fall
2006 and spring 2007). On average seminars were attended by fifteen undergraduate and graduate students and four faculty members from UTSA. A no-cost extension was requested in June 2007 and granted for the program through 2008. An outstanding graduate student at UTSA was selected and funded to pursue a Masters in Environmental Science with matching funds from the Center for Water Research.
PRODUCTS: Products for this project included student stipends which supported research efforts for all seven students. A MS thesis was completed and a publication is in preparation from this work. Additional publications are in preparation from the research work on this project.
OUTCOMES: Students from the project as well as outside the project received information on potential research opportunities and projects at TAMU, USDA-NRCS, and UTSA. Students were also exposed to research experiences and performed experiments from several faculty members at UTSA and TAMU that will continue throughout the rest of program. The number of graduate (MS) students in the department has increased from sixty-one in calendar year 2005 to sixty-five in calendar year 2006. The number of Hispanic graduate (MS) students in 2005 was nineteen (31%) and in 2006 was eleven (17%). Furthermore, a majority of graduate (MS) students (thirty-four (55%) in 2005 and thirty-nine (60%) in 2006) were non-thesis. Two MS students participating in the project are currently working on a thesis option (one in Environmental Science and one in Chemistry with an environmental science emphasis). Both of these students are looking to continue their education by obtaining a PhD at TAMU. In fall 2004, a
new BS in Environmental Science was created and by the calendar year 2005 there were sixteen undergraduates that declared BS in Environmental Science. In calendar year 2006 thirty-six undergraduates were majoring in Environmental Science. The number of Hispanic students doubled from 2005 to 2006 from six to twelve along with African American students from two to four. Overall our undergraduate program has 50% and 46% minorities in 2005 and 2006 respectively. During the spring 2007 we facilitated application process for two Hispanic undergraduate and two Hispanic graduate students (MS in Environmental Science) to the graduate program at TAMU Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. All four students were accepted and received Diversity Scholarships from TAMU to fund their graduate career (two to three years). Furthermore, one of these students was not directly involved in our program but discovered about the additional opportunity at TAMU by our advertising and with our
assistance is now working on his PhD at TAMU. All of these students started their graduate program at TAMU in fall 2007 and the PhD students also received Sloan Fellowships to help their graduate career.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Flyers and website information was distributed to the Texas Hispanic Serving Institutions Consortium which was disseminated to various campus throughout the state of Texas. Additionally, flyers and website information was distributed on the UTSA campus. Personal announcements were made in various classes throughout the College of Sciences at UTSA by the Project Directors and Project Investigators of the project.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: The project staff is planning to submit grant applications for additional funding to continue this effort to promote minority involvement with environmental science and agricultural science research throughout the USDA departments such as NRCS and other federal agencies including National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education. We have received additional funding through an anonymous donor for continued work on a restoration project at the private ranch. We are also planning to involve additional faculty members from UTSA and TAMU and possibly expand the program to other departments.
Impacts
We are expecting additional students to apply for the program this fall and spring to increase the number of students to eight through our new courses for both undergraduate and graduate students. Other impacts include the additional involvement of both faculty and students with these new courses especially with the distance learning seminars that will take place this coming year. The UTSA students this year were introduced to several students at TAMU involved with this project and were surprised by their knowledge as well as their individual motivation for this project. Additionally, the UTSA students were surprised by the involvement of agriculture education majors for this project. Students involved in the summer program are currently being assisted by the faculty on the grant in applying to graduate school at TAMU. Assistance includes their personal statements, letters of reference, GRE test preparation assistance and finding faculty of interest to work under in
graduate school. We are anticipating three to four students applying to TAMU for the future. Faculty members have been interacting on various potential collaboration projects for future work with this as well as other projects related to this program.
Publications
- Bodour, A.A., Jurena, P.N., Bush, J.K. 2005 (updated 2007). Advertisement flyer and poster for Bridge the Gap Program.
- Bodour, A.A., Jurena, P.N., Bush, J.K. 2005 (updated 2007). Website for Bridge the Gap Program. http://www.tamubridge.edu.
|