15-8 Broadening Geoscience Participation Among Community College Students: Impacts of a Service-Learning Research Project

Session: Geoscience Outreach Efforts to Broaden Participation, Part I

Presenting Author:

Madeline Haynes

Authors:

Haynes, Madeline¹, Lima, Cynthia Esperanza², Haschenburger, Judy³, Garbrecht, Lisa⁴, Smyth, Dustin⁵, Vote, Janet Jordan⁶, Madrigal, Alejandro⁷

Abstract:

Students who attend community colleges (CCs), which tend to serve more diverse populations than universities, are underrepresented in the geosciences, and CC students tend to have less access to research opportunities. This presentation describes how a five-week service-learning project impacts CC students’ interest and sense of belonging and identity in science and geoscience and highlights how elements of the program contributed to these impacts. 

 

From 2023 to 2025, there were five project cohorts at two CC campuses in San Antonio, Texas. In groups, participants conducted research on a geoscience topic and created an educational product accessible to the community. For example, one cohort researched the subsurface underlying their campus and gave a poster presentation at a public science festival event. During the projects, participants interacted weekly with geoscience faculty and received weekly peer mentoring from a graduate student. Some groups also interacted with professionals with specific expertise to complete their project. Some participants had pre-existing geoscience knowledge and/or were planning to study geosciences. Most participants were from demographic groups underrepresented in geoscience (e.g., racial/ethnic groups, women, first-generation college students). 

 

Data from participant focus groups and surveys show that the project expanded many participants’ concept of what a scientist is, raised their interest in being a scientist, improved their confidence in their ability to conduct research, and increased their sense of belonging and the extent to which they see themselves as scientists and researchers. Some participants reported increased interest in taking more geoscience classes or pursuing a career in geoscience. Others expressed that while the project did not change their career plans, it meaningfully increased their awareness of geoscience and its societal importance.  Further, participants noted that working with geoscientists to create an educational product made them feel that their contributions are valuable and helped them see themselves as scientists, educators, and/or community servants. Participants also reported that having team members from diverse backgrounds both enhanced their experience and provided important support to those with no prior geoscience experience. 

 

This service-learning project provides a model for increasing interest, sense of belonging, and identity in science and geosciences for students who are underrepresented in geosciences, and for raising awareness of and appreciation for geosciences among both participants and the broader community. 

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

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-10995

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