Building a diverse geoscience workforce

Preparing Students in Two-Year Colleges for Geoscience Degrees and Careers; Tacoma, Washington, 18–21 July 2012 Building a strong and diverse geoscience workforce is a critical national challenge. An important role is played by 2-year colleges (2YCs) in increasing both the number and diversity of geoscience graduates. At the workshop, called Preparing Students in Two-Year Colleges for Geoscience Degrees and Careers, faculty from 2YCs and 4-year colleges and universities (4YCs), as well as representatives from professional organizations, discussed the successes and challenges of programs, strategies, and activities that support career preparation of 2YC students for geoscience careers, either as geotechnician graduates or geoscience majors at 4YCs. The workshop program, which includes links to presentations and specific examples of these strategies, can be found at http://serc.carleton.edu/sage2yc/workforce2012/program.html.