AMS Engagement of Two Year College Geoscience Programs

In 2021 the AMS was invited to participate in a workshop focused on ‘Strengthening Engagement between Disciplinary Societies and Community Colleges’. The workshop was supported by the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education and held virtually in January 2022. The workshop included two-year college (2YC) educators and professional society representatives, including AMS members and staff. Over a period of several meeting dates the workshop participants focused on several high-level goals such as learning strategies and resources, partnership vision, diversity, equity and inclusion, cross-discipline collaboration and resource sharing, connections and network building. Some of the AMS focus areas as a result of the workshop included increasing connections to 2YCs to make faculty and students aware of available resources, better representation of 2YC geoscience programs, faculty and students. One outcome has been the formation of a 2YC working group within the AMS Board on Higher Education (BHE). Working group members include several 2YC faculty who are also BHE members. The working group has focused on developing a list of 2YC institutions offering programs in atmospheric science and meteorology along with a survey to better understand specific challenges unique to two-year institutions and community colleges. We will present more details on the working group, its focus, accomplishments, and lessons learned. Other education conference presentations will focus on 2YC survey results and other outcomes of the working group.