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Recruitment by Design: Making Seismology and Scientific Computing Accessible and Engaging Through the Seismology Skill Building Workshop

Description: 

The Seismology Skill Building Workshop (SSBW) fills a gap in the seismology learning ecosystem, documented at the introductory seismology course level, by providing an accessible and effective pathway for learning scientific computing within a seismology context. There are no pre-requisites or requirements beyond a stable internet, a web browser, and the time and motivation to learn. Since 2020, more than 6,835 participants from 113 countries have registered; over 3,884 have started the course, and 1,068 have completed it. Participation from women (59%) and students from racially and ethnically marginalized groups in the U.S. (~32%) exceeds national geoscience averages, and approximately one-third of participants are non-geoscience majors, demonstrating its effectiveness as an entry point into seismology and computational Earth science. Course completers demonstrate 38% normalized learning gains on pre/post assessments and report 42% gains in interest in scientific computing and seismology, along with 37% gains in perceived preparedness for grad school and employment.

This success has been driven by a sustained focus on learner experience, grounded in instructional design practices that support learning while promoting participation across diverse backgrounds. These transferable design principles, emphasizing early success, scaffolding, and sustained instructional support, are being disseminated through instructor-facing workshops at the 2026 Earth Educators’ Rendezvous. An early roadblock was computing environment setup, which hindered new and under-resourced learners; this was addressed through accessible virtual environments with preconfigured software. After five years, the course continues to evolve from legacy tools (e.g., SAC) toward modern workflows centered on Python/ObsPy in the 2027 workshop. Building on these lessons, the NSF National Geophysical Facility is developing a Computer and Data Science Academy to provide shared infrastructure, including GeoLab, virtual desktops, a learning management system, and micro-credentialing, to expand accessible seismology and computing education beyond the SSBW.

Session: Seismology for All: Expanding STEM Education Through Accessible Tools and Global Collaboration - I

Type: Oral

Date: 4/15/2026

Presentation Time: 04:30 PM (local time)

Presenting Author: Michael Hubenthal

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: Yes

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