A short-term critical zone geophysics program designed to recruit, retain, and foster community amongst 1st and 2nd year undergraduates historically marginalized in geosciences

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The Geophysics of the Near Surface: an Outdoor Motivational Experience for Students, or GNOMES, program was designed to recruit, engage, and retain racially and ethnically minoritized students early in their undergraduate experience into geoscience. This goal was enacted by introducing a diverse group of students, early in their post-secondary education, to the geosciences through an inclusive experiential learning field experience that built community amongst the participants. The program focused on critical zone geophysics fieldwork to engage students in geoscience concepts. Throughout the two-week summer program, students worked in teams to address research problems in critical zone science and build geoscience and professional skills. This paper presents the results from the first three years of the GNOMES program (2018, 2019, and 2022), during which time 47 participants and 8 mentors were engaged in the program, 80% of whom were from racial and ethnic backgrounds minoritized in geoscience. Here we present the program design and show that the program was successful in impacting participants through increases in self-reported professional and geoscience skills and through increased participant science identity. In addition, we discuss the successes and pitfalls in the program and provide advice and suggestions for ensuring the successful implementation of similar programs. The GNOMES program provides a model and demonstrates an effective approach for broadening participation in geosciences.