Bradley M Wetherbee

There are many opportunities for high school and college students to engage in experiential learning activities through participation in programs offering fieldwork in the natural sciences, but such programs that engage diverse students or that are designed specifically for underrepresented students are uncommon.  Exposure of diverse youth to the natural sciences lags behind much of society and therefore, a lack of diverse students selecting majors in the natural sciences is not surprising.  Other young students often develop an interest in subjects such as marine biology through their involvement in programs where they are exposed to these fields and become aware of the natural sciences.  Limited access of young diverse students to such programs is consistent with the small proportion of diverse students that major in natural sciences at  universities nationwide, with the small proportion of underrepresented students that obtain post-graduate degrees in the natural sciences, with the small proportion of underrepresented students that pursue careers in the natural sciences and with the overall more limited interest and participation of diverse groups in issues related to the natural sciences.  Ultimately, underrepresentation in natural science fields and disproportionate lack of involvement of minorities in environmental issues has contributed to environmental injustice experienced by underrepresented groups for decades.

Based on the premise that engagement of underrepresented groups in biology at an early age will foster a heightened awareness about and interest in the natural sciences, which will in turn translate to an increased proportion of diverse students choosing college majors in the natural sciences, improve retention of students majoring in those subjects, increase numbers of underrepresented students finding employment in environmental fields and ultimately enhance engagement of diverse groups in environmental issues, the Department of Biological Sciences and College of the Environment and Life Sciences at the University of Rhode Island has established a Shark Education and Research Program to provide underrepresented students opportunities to participate in fieldwork on sharks as a lure for their developing an interest in natural sciences.  A primary goal of the program is to capitalize on a very popular marine animal (sharks) to motivate diverse high school students to participate in a week-long URI Shark Camp during the summer, where students will learn about shark biology, participate in shark fishing surveys and be presented with information about fields of major in the natural sciences, college life and pathways to pursue these interests as students in college.  The program will result in diverse high school students having a short-term, intense interaction at a university and provide them with information and connections to successfully transition from high school to STEM majors in college and to consider these options when making decisions about college. 

Through these activities the university will offer programs for high school students and undergraduates that are available at few other institutions in the country and that will attract diverse students to these types of majors and produce a new generation of college graduates ready and able to contribute to environmental justice as active members of society.           

URI shark camp

For one week each July, high school sophomores and juniors interested in sharks, marine biology and biological sciences attend URI Shark Camp.  A total of 16 students are selected from applicants from local high schools that have a large proportion of underrepresented students.  Students are transported from their schools to the URI campus, and then to the URI research vessel Cap’n Bert.  The first day of camp the students meet with URI faculty and staff and are introduced to sharks and the activities that they will be participating in during the week.  The remainder of the week, campers conduct trawl in Narragansett Bay and examine sharks, fish, squid, crabs, whelk and other marine life captured in the net.  Other camp activities include a trip to Mystic Aquarium, presentations on application and admission to college, and opportunities within natural science majors at URI.  At the end of each day students are transported back to their schools.