EO-09. The Earth Data Science Corps & ESIIL Stars Programs: Models for Teaching and Learning Environmental Data Science Skills

Abstract
The Earth & Environmental Sciences (EES) produce data at a pace and on a scale that precipitate a need for EES researchers who are equipped with the technical data analytic skills required to work with large EES data sets. There are currently limited opportunities to learn these critical earth and environmental data science (EDS) skills leading to a gap between the demand for and supply of well trained data analysts, and contributes to a lack of diversity in the workforce. One model for meeting these demands is the NSF-supported Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR) Earth Data Science Corps (EDSC) which has engaged with 60 students and 8 faculty partners from Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) in the 3 years of the program. Through online instruction and a 12-week paid internship that includes training in fundamental Python programming and geospatial science, we have demonstrated significant growth across different aspects of participants' technical Python and data science skills, as well as their science identity and sense of belonging to a larger population of data scientists. As the EDSC draws to an end, we are excited to launch a new initiative, building on our approach with the EDSC, that will lead to the development of culturally relevant data stories, incorporate novel analytic approaches including AI/ML into EDS curriculum, and contribute to an open online interactive Introduction to Analytics for Environmental Data Science textbook that will be published on our https://www.earthdatascience.org/ website which sees millions of unique visitors each year. Beginning in the summer of 2023 the Environmental Data Science Innovation & Inclusion Lab (ESIIL) Stars Program will continue to develop working relationships with existing MSI and TCU partners before broadening our impacts by establishing additional partnerships that will help build capacity to teach and learn EDS at smaller institutions that work with historically marginalized communities. Our goal is to reach 20 faculty and 100 students through the 5 years of the ESIIL Stars program and we welcome discussion from parties with an interest in developing partnerships with ESIIL and learning more about our approach to EDS education. Lessons learned from working with underrepresented groups in STEM will also be discussed.