Diversifying a Satellite and Ground-Based Remote Sensing Undergraduate Research Program: Lessons Learned

With the decline of participation in the geosciences expected to continue in the near future, there is a national call to heighten awareness, broaden interest, and increase engagement in the geosciences. A priority to involve undergraduate STEM students from the potential talent pool will need to include those from traditionally underrepresented minority (URM) groups. The geosciences are unique in that there are multiple entry points into the field, particularly for undergraduates pursing other STEM fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, or mathematics. In an effort to increase the interests of STEM URM students to the study and application of remote sensing, the New York City College of Technology developed a comprehensive undergraduate research program in satellite and ground-based remote sensing for students majoring in a STEM discipline. This year-long research program promotes students’ understanding of remote sensing applications to the environment and also highlight how the students’ STEM fields can be applied to the geosciences. The main formal and informal programmatic components include: 1) remote sensing knowledge-building and research training, 2) mentoring, and 3) technical and presentation skills development. Lessons learned in creating a supportive research environment particularly for URMs will be highlighted.  This project is supported by NSF REU Grant #1560050.