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The Large-enrollment Seismology Skill Building Workshop Is an Inclusive and Effective Geoscience Recruiting Tool

Description: 

The Seismology Skill Building Workshop (SSBW) is a MOOC-style online training where students learn seismology-specific computer programming for ~12 weeks over the summer. It has enrolled at least 700 students annually since 2020 and grew to 1400 in 2024. It is designed for inclusivity by eliminating major barriers such as the cost of enrollment, computing requirements, access to a campus where seismology is offered, and costs associated with travel and class prerequisites. We have collected data via registrations, pre-/post-workshop surveys, and performance on assignments to evaluate whether this is an opportunity to increase interest and diversity in geoscience.

Annually, the workshop has enrolled ~30% of non-geoscience majors, indicating it offers an entrance to geoscience. Considering only US registrants, the participation of women (~60%) and marginalized racial and ethnic groups (~30%) was greater than that of undergraduate geoscience degrees (46% and 15%, respectively). Most demographic factors, including gender, race, and ethnicity did not show any association with initiation or completion of the workshop (Hubenthal and Brudzinski, 2024). When looking at interest in seismology/geophysics concepts, graduate school, and employment, we found a ~50% gain for students from marginalized groups compared to ~10% for other groups. We also found the “likelihood to pursue seismology and/or graduate school” was similar between the two groups after the SSBW. Using a comparison of pre- and post-test scores, we observed an overall ~40% gain in skill performance with students from marginalized groups showing gains greater than their non-marginalized peers. Collectively, the SSBW is an effective recruitment strategy when the playing field is leveled via an inclusive and effective pedagogy, as it allows participants from different backgrounds to discover, explore, and achieve in geophysics.

Session: Adventures in Social Seismology: Ethical Engagement, Earthquake Early Warnings, Operational Forecasts, and Beyond - I

Type: Oral

Date: 4/15/2025

Presentation Time: 08:15 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Wilnelly

Student Presenter: Yes

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