3-6 Designing a Mixed-Methods Study of Co-Curricular Pathways into Sustainable Geoscience Research and Careers

Session: Advancements in undergraduate education: connecting classrooms to research and careers in sustainable geology

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Abstract:

Preparing undergraduates for research and careers in sustainable geoscience professions requires learning experiences that connect solid Earth concepts to applied challenges. Co-curricular programming (e.g., guest lectures, skills workshops, and campus-wide learning experiences) is increasingly used to build these connections, yet limited empirical work documents how such experiences support student development in geoscience contexts at the undergraduate level. This presentation describes a proposed mixed-methods exploratory study designed to examine how participation in Earth and Environmental Science (EES) co-curricular activities contributes to undergraduate learning, professional identity development, and clarity of research and career pathways in sustainable geosciences.

Undergraduate student participants who voluntarily attend EES-related co-curricular events featuring sustainable geoscience themes and workforce-relevant practices. Attendees are expected to include both geoscience majors and students from other disciplines, enabling analysis of how co-curricular experiences function as reinforcement for majors and as an entry point into the geosciences for non-majors. Data collection will combine brief post-event surveys with open-ended written reflections in which students describe what they learned and how the experience connects to their academic and professional goals and to real-world sustainability challenges.

Quantitative survey data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize participation and perceived value across student groups. Qualitative reflections will be analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to identify recurring outcomes related to applied understanding of sustainable geosciences, interdisciplinary connections, professional skill development, and belonging in geoscience spaces. The work aims to generate actionable evidence to inform the design of inclusive, high-impact co-curricular models that strengthen undergraduate pathways from classrooms into professional geoscience fields.

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