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1. Towards diverse representation and inclusion in soil science in the United States

   https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20210  

   Carter, Tiffany L. ; Jennings, Lydia L. ; Pressler, Yamina ; Gallo, Adrian C. ; Berhe, Asmeret Asefaw ; Marín‐Spiotta, Erika ; Shepard, Christopher ; Ghezzehei, Teamrat ; Vaughan, Karen L. ( December 2021 , Soil Science Society of America Journal)

   null (Ed.)

   Soil science is one of the least diverse subdisciplines within the agricultural, earth, and natural sciences. Representation within soil science does not currently reflect demographic trends in the U.S. We synthesize available data on the representation of historically marginalized groups in soil science in the U.S. and identify historical mechanisms contributing to these trends. We review education and employment information within academic and the federal government, land-grant university participation, and available Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) membership data to gain insight into the current state of representation within soil sciences and implications for the future of this discipline. Across all domains of diversity, historically marginalized groups are underrepresented in soil science. We provide recommendations toward recognizing diversity within the field, improving and encouraging diversity within the SSSA, and suggested responses for both individuals and institutions toward improving diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

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2. Re-Envisioning Undergraduate Research Experiences to Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Harness the Power of Diversity in Ocean Sciences

   https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2024.140  

   Barber, Paul ; Martinez, Catalina ; Garza, Corey ; Gibson, Deidre ; Davis, Alexandra ( January 2023 , Oceanography)

   Diversity in ocean sciences lags far behind US demographics. A substantial body of research highlights barriers that limit the participation and success of students from underrepresented minoritized (URM) and other marginalized groups in STEM disciplines, and a wealth of studies highlight successful interventions that improve the persistence of these groups in STEM higher education. Despite this knowledge, over the past four decades, ocean sciences has made limited progress in growing diversity within its workforce, suggesting new strategies are needed. Undergraduate research experiences are a pivotal pathway toward graduate education and future careers in ocean sciences, but they are plagued by many issues that limit the participation and success of persons from URM and other marginalized backgrounds. Here we summarize obstacles that limit participation of diverse populations in ocean sciences and highlight successful strategies for overcoming these obstacles. By re-envisioning how we approach undergraduate research experiences and bringing intentionality to the recruitment of students and the training environments that they experience, we can more effectively grow diversity in ocean sciences and unleash the power of diversity to address the pressing local and global problems facing marine ecosystems.

    

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3. Assessing Diversity in US Ocean Science Institutions: Insights from Fifteen Years (2007–2021) of OSER Data

   https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2024.134  

   Lewis, Staci ; Holloway, Amanda ; Yarincik, Kristen ( January 2023 , Oceanography)

   Increasing representation of racially underrepresented groups and women in the ocean sciences has been a priority for the last few decades. The Ocean Science Educators’ Retreat (OSER) data set is perhaps the only long-standing data set specifically focused, with subdisciplinary granularity, on the US academic ocean science landscape. We examine its valuable data on graduate student and faculty demographics across racial and gender dimensions to understand trends in diversity of graduate students (recruitment and retention) and faculty in US institutions over a 15-year period (2007–2021). We also discuss potential COVID-19 signals and attention to social justice in these data, based on the last year of data collection (2020–2021). Finally, we make suggestions for future studies to build on these findings and the OSER data set. This paper highlights opportunities for further broadening diverse participation in ocean sciences, such as through greater emphasis on retention, and makes a case for the ocean science community to continue demographic data collection.

    

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4. Practitioner Perspectives of the Impact of COVID-19 on CS Education in High Schools Serving Historically Marginalized Students (Fundamental)

   McGill, M. ( January 2022 , ASEE annual conference proceedings)

   Practitioners delivering computer science (CS) education during the COVID-19 pandemic have faced numerous challenges, including the move to online learning. Understanding the impact on students, particularly students from historically marginalized groups within the United States, requires deeper exploration. Our research question for this study was: In what ways has the high school computer science educational ecosystem for students been impacted by COVID-19, particularly when comparing schools that have student populations with a majority of historically underrepresented students to those that do not? To answer this question, we used the CAPE theoretical framework to measure schools’ Capacity to offer CS, student Access to CS education, student Participation in CS, and Experiences of students taking CS. We developed a quantitative instrument based on the results of a qualitative inquiry, then used the instrument to collect data from CS high school practitioners located in the United States (n=185) and performed a comparative analysis of the results. We found that the numbers of students participating in AP CS A courses, CS related as well as non-CS related extracurricular activities, and multiple extracurricular activities increased. However, schools primarily serving historically underrepresented students had significantly fewer students taking additional CS courses and fewer students participating in CS related extracurricular activities. Student learning in CS courses decreased significantly; however, engagement did not suffer. Other noncognitive factors, like students’ understanding of the relevance of technology and confidence using technology, improved overall; however, student interested in taking additional CS courses was significantly lower in schools primarily serving historically underrepresented students. Last, the numbers of students taking the AP CS A and AP CS Principles exams declined overall. 

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5. ractitioner Perspectives of the Impact of COVID-19 on CS Education in High Schools Serving Historically Marginalized Students (Fundamental).

   McGill, M. ( January 2022 , Proceedings ASEE annual conference)

   Practitioners delivering computer science (CS) education during the COVID-19 pandemic have faced numerous challenges, including the move to online learning. Understanding the impact on students, particularly students from historically marginalized groups within the United States, requires deeper exploration. Our research question for this study was: \textit{In what ways has the high school computer science educational ecosystem for students been impacted by COVID-19, particularly when comparing schools that have student populations with a majority of historically underrepresented students to those that do not?} To answer this question, we used the CAPE theoretical framework to measure schools’ Capacity to offer CS, student Access to CS education, student Participation in CS, and Experiences of students taking CS \cite{fletcherwarner2021cape}. We developed a quantitative instrument based on the results of a qualitative inquiry, then used the instrument to collect data from CS high school practitioners located in the United States (n=185) and performed a comparative analysis of the results. We found that the numbers of students participating in AP CS A courses, CS related as well as non-CS related extracurricular activities, and multiple extracurricular activities increased. However, schools primarily serving historically underrepresented students had significantly fewer students taking additional CS courses and fewer students participating in CS related extracurricular activities. Student learning in CS courses decreased significantly; however, engagement did not suffer. Other noncognitive factors, like students’ understanding of the relevance of technology and confidence using technology, improved overall; however, student interested in taking additional CS courses was significantly lower in schools primarily serving historically underrepresented students. Last, the numbers of students taking the AP CS A and AP CS Principles exams declined overall. 

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