Broadening Participation in the Earth System Sciences—What Can Be Achieved through Strategic Investment, Policy Changes, and Individual Commitment?

Federally-funded research centers have a critical role in the nation's efforts to broaden participation in the Nation’s STEM workforce. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is a Federally-Funded Research and Development Center serving a broad Earth system science research and education community. The 2018-2024 Strategic Plan for Education & Outreach is the first of its kind at NCAR. The plan provides guidance for NCAR's education activities and a framework for tracking and reporting impact. Guiding principles of the plan include diversity and inclusion - specifically broadening participation of students, faculty, and the public in NCAR’s education and outreach activities, and creating accessible and welcoming experiences for all learners.

To implement the ambitious plan, NCAR created an Education Leadership Team which is made up of staff who serve as the primary point of contact for education and outreach within NCAR’s seven science, computing and engineering laboratories. These leaders play a key role in addressing institution-wide issues concerning education and outreach, and work within their labs to implement strategies to foster more inclusive and diverse education and outreach programs. Their work significantly augment what the small Education & Outreach office can achieve on its own.

This talk will discuss NCAR's contributions to the national effort of broadening participation of the Earth system science workforce, and show how formal and informal education activities need to be accessible to all learners to support meaningful change. We will share how strategic planning and investment, changes to procedures and policies, and the dedication of education leaders is making an impact across the center.