Abstract

Hispanic students comprise almost 60% of San Angelo Independent School District enrollment, while only 4.1% of professional geologists and environmental scientists are of Hispanic origin. This National Science Foundation-supported project sought to provide opportunities for enhancing diversity among students majoring in geology and among professional geologists. PIER was a pilot project involving Angelo State University (ASU) faculty, the Upper Colorado River Authority (UCRA), and the San Angelo Independent School District (SAISD). Objectives of the project were to: 1) conduct outreach field experiences, 2) design geology lab activities and work with teachers to implement them in high school and middle school classrooms, 3) recruit students to major in geosciences, and 4) design and run week-long geology workshops for teachers.

The PIER project has established a continuing working relationship between San Angelo Independent School District high school and middle school science teachers and Angelo State University faculty and geology students. ASU faculty and UCRA employees organized and led geology field trips to San Angelo State Park and the Concho River for middle and high school classes of 16 to 75 students. ASU faculty and the UCRA worked with teachers to design and lead geology lab activities in middle school and high school classrooms using geologic data and materials such as rocks, minerals, fossils, topographic maps, stereo aerial photographs, and earthquake data. SAISD classes involved included Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade Science, and middle school Pre-AP groups. Classes from every high school and middle school in SAISD participated. In most activities, multiple classes and teachers were involved, requiring ASU participation in the classroom over two or three days. Teachers were also shown how to lead the activities without support from ASU students. Angelo State University geology majors assisted in leading all activities, shared their backgrounds and future geology career plans, and answered many questions. In July 2012, 2014, and 2015, a total of 26 teachers gathered with ASU faculty and students for the PIER Summer Geo-sciences Institute on the Texas Tech Junction campus. Activities included six field trips, twelve classroom and lab activities, evening discussions, and numerous informal discussions. Field trip stops included the South Llano River, Enchanted Rock, Pedernales Falls, the Devils Sinkhole, a seismograph station, and several fossil localities. Connections were established at Summer Institutes that have led to additional collaboration between SAISD and ASU faculty in students in SAISD classrooms.

Key outcomes of the PIER Project are:

1. Collaboration between ASU geology faculty and SAISD teachers is continuing after the grant is over. This includes preparing a proposal for the first-ever high school geoscience course in SAISD.

2. ASU Geoscience majors are effective teachers and recruiters. They received educational benefits from participating.

3. Excellent geology field trips can be run for large and small groups with careful planning and at little cost.

4. The PIER Summer Geoscience Institute is a good way to inspire and educate teachers about geology. The key components of the Summer Geoscience Institute are: many field trips, diverse lab activities, and much sharing between ASU and SAISD participants.

5. The preceding key outcomes are inspiring a significant number of SAISD high school and middle school students and their teachers interested in geology and in attending college.