1. Supporting Students In Geosciences
Incorporating relevance in classes:
Local case studies – Place-based problem sets
KAFB Fuel Spill problems
Uranium in-situ mining
Water quality from local streams (some on tribal land)
Student involvement in research:
Resources available for undergraduate research support (cost of field work – thank you alumni!!!)
Build undergraduate salary into all grants (but need more money!)
Get students out of Walmart and into our labs!
Individuate mentoring:
All students required to meet with faculty adviser annually (not all do it).
Math training:
Pre-calculus applied

2. Challenges in Supporting Students
Culture of science and academia:
Science usually taught in “low-context” individuated manner.
The classic ‘silo’ approach to science
Many students from under-represented groups fit a “high-context” model (see Ibarra 2001)
Academic culture is often not collaborative or kind
Competitive approach, focus on individual
Opportunity for geoscience in Environmental Sciences:
Integrative, high-context by nature
Good opportunities for community-based projects (service learning)

3. Something you can do!!! Write a cultural autobiography
Focus on how your cultural background affects your teaching?
Are you from high-context or low-context background?
Does your cultural comfort fit how you teach?
Can you break out of this comfort zone?