Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: We worked with undergraduate and graduate students across 14 Hispanic Serving Institutions in New Mexico and Puerto Rico. We also conducted out reach to 22 high school classrooms in New Mexico and multiple high school classroom through 4 highschool teachers in Puerto Rico. We work closely with the USDA Forest Service as well as USDA Natural Resouce Conservation Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Park Service,and US Geological Service. Changes/Problems: The biggest challenge we have encountered is the implementation of the new PATHWAYS program. There is still a lot of confusion over hiring, timing and availability of student positions. Despite the confusion, our students have done well securing summer internships with federal agencies. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? We conducted three introductory workshops for new program students and 14 workshops and field days (8 in New Mexico and 6 in Puerto Rico) ranging from resume building, an event day for student pathways position applications, spring visitors day for 2 year institutions, seminars with natural resource professionals, field days at research stations, and mock interviews forNRCT students. These activities can beviewed on our website(http://nrct.nmsu.edu/). In addition, 41 students attended a total of 68 professional meetings and made 41 presentations. Thirty students particiapted in the faculty research mentorship program where they worked on research projects in individual faculty labs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated through our website (http://nrct.nmsu.edu/), our two program pamphlets and presentations by NRCT students at professional meetings and to highschool students. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? In our next reporting period we will 1) conduct 3 field courses, 2) continue with highschool classroom programs and field trips, 3) assist students to successfully secure their own paid internship and place new students on internships, 4) continue to retain >90% of students in the program, 5) work with faculty and forest service mentors to guide students acacademically and professionally, 6) continue our exchange of undergraduate students between New Mexico and Puerto Rico institutions, 7) mentor current graduate students and fill new graduate student positions, 8) continue to supplement advising and tutoring programs as necessary, 9) hold annual program retreats in September, 10) continue with NRCT workshops, seminars, trainings and field days, and 11) continue to pursue our goal of permanently placing as many students as possible with the USDA.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
All program partners have been working closely to make this program a success. PIs from NMSU, UPR and Forest Service have been meeting regularly to implement a long-term plan for the NRCT program, this has included meetings in Washington DC and Albuquerque with Forest Service Civil Rights personnel and Human Resources; this activity is ongoing. The USDA Forest Service is our main partner, but we are also working with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA Animal, Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Geological Service (USGS). In year two we enrolled two additional institutions in our program, Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso (2-year institution) and UPR-Utuado (4-year institution). In year 2, we retained the majority of students in our program (96%), 4 students graduated and were placed in permanent positions with the USDA Forest Service,wehave an additional 11 students in Indefinite PATHWAYS positions with the USDA (8 with USDA FS, 2 with USDA NRCS & 1 with USDA APHIS), and recruited 31 new students into our program bringing the total number of program students to 83. The large number of new recruits was in anticipation of 10-12 students graduating in May 2013 and the high quality of the applicants. Six visits were made to participating institutions by the USDA FS to recruit new students in spring 2013. Our current 83 students consist of 2 PhD, 17 MS and 64 undergraduate students (2 program students from UPR moved from undergraduate to graduate status in year II). Fifty-three percent of students are female and 47% male. Eighty-one of our 83 students are Hispanic, one is Native American and one is African American. Of the 83 students approximately 33% are first generation college students (45% in NM and 10% in PR). Student disciplines include forestry, environmental science, wildlife science, fisheries science, range science, conservation ecology, natural resources, geology, biology, Information technology, agriculture and community development, and civil engineering. Orientations were held for all new program students in New Mexico and Puerto Rico for a total of 3 introductory workshops. This is in addition to 14 workshops and field days (8 in NM and 6 in PR) ranging from resume building, an event day for student pathways position applications, spring visitors day for 2 year institutions at NMSU, and mock interviews to separate field days at various research stations. Four students (2 NM and 2 PR) participated in the student exchange program between New Mexico and Puerto Rico in 2012-2013. Graduate students supported financially serve as Teaching Assistants (TA’s) for the field courses, coordinate and conduct high school outreach and implement other program activities. This fall graduate students developed a high school outreach program. In the spring of 2013 they visited 22 classrooms in New Mexico. Outreach by Puerto Rico students began in 2012 working in the classrooms of 4 highschool teachers. We have conducted 4 spring field trips. In 2012-2013, 30 students participated in the faculty/research mentorship program, 41 students attended a total of 68 professional meetings and made 41 presentations. Fourteen tutors were hired across our 14 institutions during this second year; these tutors are available to our program students as well as other students that seek assistance. Seventy-one students had summer internships (44 in NM and 27 in PR). Forty-five of these internships (38 NM & 7 PR) were paid by employers and 26 (6 NM & 20 PR) were paid by the NRCT program. Nine students were supported by the program to work on their graduate research during summer 2013. We have developed a program website http://nrct.nmsu.edu/ (English and Spanish), Facebook pages for our New Mexico and Puerto Rico programs, a program brochure (English and Spanish), a PATHWAYS brochure, and are using distance communication technology (skype) to communicate with students at remote locations and connecting via webinars via real time video conferencing.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In the first year of our program, September 2011- August 2012 we focused on working with the USDA Forest Service to develop a long-term plan for students in this program, hiring our education coordinators, interviewing, screening, and selecting students for the program, enrolling students in the program, placing these students on summer internship positions, establishing tutors at institutions, working with the Forest Service to establish a student-professional mentoring program, setting up and carrying out 3 field ecology classes and establishing our New Mexico-Puerto Rico academic exchange program through the National Student Exchange. Starting in July 2011 we set up regular meetings with our partners through the USDA Forest Service Office of Civil Rights in Albuquerque, NM and Washington DC. The education coordinator positions in New Mexico and Puerto Rico were advertised, screened, interviews conducted and two individuals hired. Enrolling students in the program was a long and involved process and took up most of our time this first year. A total of 174 students were interviewed for positions in the program across the 12 campuses by a team of USDA Forest Service and project personnel. Students provided transcripts and resumes as part of their application material. A total of 17 visits were made to the 12 program universities across New Mexico and Puerto Rico between October 2011 and February 2012. All applicants were screened by Forest Service personnel to ensure they were on a related career track, were taking appropriate classes, had a minimum of a 2.5 GPA, and had an interest in a career with the USDA. The application review period took several months and final selection was made by Forest Service personnel. Once students were enrolled in the program we worked with USDA Forest Service personnel to place students on summer internship positions. This involved several meetings with the Forest Service Branches of Civil Rights and Human Resources. Forest Service and project personnel conducted summer visits to internship sites and conducted interviews with students and supervisors. We have worked with all program institutions to hire student tutors and make these tutors available to program students as well as other university students. We established 3 field ecology classes during the first year of this grant; this included one international field class in Belize and two classes for entry level students, one in New Mexico and one in Puerto Rico. We also set up an academic exchange program through the National Student Exchange to exchange students between New Mexico and Puerto Rico Institutions. PARTICIPANTS: Partner Institutions New Mexico State University-Las Cruces New Mexico State University-Alamogordo New Mexico State University-Carlsbad New Mexico State Univeristy-Grants New Mexico Highlands Univeristy Luna Community College University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon University of Puerto Rico-Cayey University of Puerto Rico-Humacao University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Interamerican University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audience Graduate (MS and PhD) students at partner institutions Undergraduate students (Freshmen-Senior) at partner institutions High School students in New Mexico and Puerto Rico PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
All partners have been working closely to make this program a success. Starting July 2011 PIs from NMSU, UPR and Forest Service have been meeting regularly to develop a long-term plan, this has included meetings in Washington DC and Albuquerque with Forest Service Civil Rights personnel and Human Resources; this activity is ongoing. We have hired 2 education coordinators, one in New Mexico and one in Puerto Rico. The USDA Forest Service is our main partner, but we are also working with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA Animal, Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and US Geological Service (USGS). Forest Service personnel and other project personnel made 17 visits to our 12 program institutions between September and February 2011 and interviewed 174 students. Sixty-one students were originally selected for the program, and 53 of these students were enrolled. Student selection was completed in spring 2012. The 53 program students consist of 42 undergraduate students (ranging from freshmen to seniors), 9 Masters of Science students and 2 Ph.D. students. We have 30 females and 23 males enrolled in the program. Fifty-two of the 53 students are Hispanic and one student is African American. Of the 53 students 53% are first generation college students. Student disciplines include forestry, environmental science, wildlife science, fisheries science, range science, geology, computer science, and engineering. Orientations were held for all program students in New Mexico and Puerto Rico for a total of 3 introductory workshops. This spring, three USDA Forest Service employees have presented seminars to our group, we conducted a spring field trip, provided outreach to high school students at 6 high schools in New Mexico and Puerto Rico and hired a high school student ambassador. Nineteen students have participated in applied research opportunities. Sixteen tutors were hired across our 12 institutions during this first year; these tutors are available to our program students as well as other students that seek assistance. Forty five of our program students had summer internships, 43 with USDA FS, 1 with NRCS and 1 with APHIS. Four graduate students focused on field research over the summer. Fourteen of our 53 program students have been selected for career-track (long-term PATHWAYS) positions, 12 with the USDA FS, 1 with USDA NRCS and 1 with USDA AHPIS. We conducted 3 field courses in 2012, one upper division international field course in Belize and two local field courses in New Mexico and Puerto Rico. We enrolled 30 of our program students in these 3 classes for 90 credit hours. We developed a student exchange between New Mexico State University and the University of Puerto Rico and have enrolled 3 students in the program for Fall 2012. We have developed a program website http://nrct.nmsu.edu/ (English and Spanish), Facebook pages for NM and PR programs, a program brochure (English and Spanish), a PATHWAYS brochure, and are using distance communication technology (CANVAS) to communicate with students at remote locations and connecting via webinars and skype.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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