Abstract:

To stimulate interest in and broaden participation in Space Science among minority students in the City University of New York (the nation’s largest urban public system), we have instituted strategies that create pathways from high school to undergraduate (junior and senior colleges) to graduate school to the workforce. These strategies include: 1) research experiences during summer and academic year, where students work with research scientists in addition to gaining experience working with datasets from NASA missions; 2) courses in Space Science that have been developed as part of a CUNY-wide major and area specific minors; 3) informal education activities involving courses and field trips to planetariums and research centers; 4) development of Space Science inclusive curricula that are hands-on and that promote collaborative learning; and 5) partnerships with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies, Hayden Planetarium of the American Museum of Natural History, New York City Department of Education and Brookhaven National Laboratories. These strategies have resulted in an increase in the student retention rate, an increase in student interest in Space Science and related fields, as well as a significant interest and enthusiasm in NASA science. Overall, students have gained an overall appreciation for Space Science and its contributions to society.

Keywords:

undergraduate research, underrepresented minorities, astronomy, space science.