257-4 Undergraduate Research in the Geosciences at 2YC: Mentor Perspective from the START Program

Session: Diversifying Geoscience Education Across the Academic Playing Field: Using Creative Methods to Foster the Current and Next Generations of Geoscience Professionals (Posters)

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Student research programs in the geosciences at the community college level present many challenges including limited institutional resources and short project duration. With research mentorship unlikely to be part of a traditional faculty workload, community college instructors may lack the time and incentive to engage in student research.

The STem Academic Research and Training (START) program at Wake Technical Community College offers a unique opportunity to 2YC students, allowing them to complete research projects under faculty guidance and mentorship. Geoscience projects under the START Program have covered many topics including dendrochronology, seismology/engineering, planetary geology, science outreach, and paleontology.

Research project design that is appropriate for the timeframe, resources, and student demographic is a key barrier to the implementation of geoscience research at 2YC. As such, project design details and mentor experiences are presented that encourage the practice and provide meaningful learning opportunities for geoscience students.

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

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