52-1 GEO SERVICE: Immersive Geoscience Outreach through High School-Undergraduate Collaboration and Community-Focused Research

Session: Geoscience Outreach Efforts to Broaden Participation, Part II

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The Geosciences Students Excelling in Real, Vital Investigations with Community Engagement (GEO SERVICE) program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette aims to increase interest in geoscience careers through meaningful, place-based outreach. Designed to engage 8th–12th grade through undergraduate student mentors, the program connects geoscience learning to real-world environmental issues facing Louisiana and the Gulf Coast—like flooding, wetland loss, urban development, and land use change. GEO SERVICE combines research, outreach, and mentorship by pairing high school students with trained undergraduate mentors, faculty, and community partners. Together, they participate in hands-on summer workshops and academic-year projects rooted in community-focused service learning. One such workshop, “Rising Waters”, immerses students in geospatial technologies, from kite- and drone-based data collection to interpreting Landsat imagery. Students explore how remote sensing informs our understanding of environmental change and resilience, while developing critical skills in data analysis, communication, and collaboration. The program culminates in students producing digital ArcGIS Story Maps that synthesize their research findings and reflections, which are presented to peers, families, and local stakeholders. These activities not only boost STEM identity and skill development but also build community connections and highlight pathways into geoscience and related majors. Undergraduate mentors also benefit from leadership and teaching experience, strengthening their own career readiness. Importantly, undergraduate mentors continue their engagement beyond the workshop, transforming the environmental themes explored with high school students into semester-long research projects under faculty guidance. This integration of outreach and research provides them with practical experience in project development, data interpretation, and professional communication. Initial assessments show strong interest and retention among participants, with the workshop serving as a launch point for sustained engagement. Evaluation of multiple cohorts informs ongoing refinement of program design and pedagogy. GEO SERVICE emphasizes long-term impact by cultivating a regional pipeline from secondary education into geoscience higher education and related careers. This presentation will share results and lessons learned from the first three years of implementation, along with insights from the Summer 2025 outreach workshop, highlighting how immersive hands-on learning and authentic local context can broaden participation in geoscience education and outreach.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-4651

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