Enlightenment Strikes! Broadening Graduate School Training through Field Campaign Participation

This presentation will provide an overview of the Advanced Study Institute: Field Studies of Convection in Argentina (ASI-FSCA) funded by the NSF International Research Experiences for Students program. The ASI-FSCA program was a 3-week dynamic and collaborative hands-on experience that enabled 16 highly motivated and diverse graduate students from the U.S. to participate in the 2018-19 Remote sensing of Electrification, Lightning, And Mesoscale/microscale Processes with Adaptive Ground Observations (RELAMPAGO) field campaign. This program is unique as it represents the first effort to integrate an intensive ASI program with a field campaign in the field of atmospheric science. The presentation will describe the ASI-FSCA activities and successful program outcomes for five key elements: (1) Intensive field research with active field campaign instrumentation platforms under the guidance of the instrument PIs; (2) Recruitment of a diverse set of graduate students who would not otherwise have opportunities to participate in intensive field research; (3) An ASI curriculum focused on scientific understanding of cloud and mesoscale processes of the atmosphere and professional/academic development topics; (4) Outreach to local K-12 schools and with the general public; and (5) Building a collaborative international research network between the U.S., Argentina, and Brazil to promote weather and climate research. These five elements serve to increase motivation, improve confidence, and self-efficacy of students to participate in scientific research and field work with goals of increasing retention and a sense of belonging in STEM graduate programs and advancing the careers of students from underrepresented groups.