“The needs of the changing environment are varied and challenging, requiring unbiased research and divergent mindsets to produce scientifically sound, next-level thinking,” says CBL Director Dr. Tom Miller, “We need men and women from diverse backgrounds to advocate for our natural world and serve as advisors, experts, and innovators to develop public policy and shape new advancements for our environment.”
Yet, STEM fields, often the most rapidly growing and lucrative job areas, have traditionally had minimal participation from minorities and women. Ethnic minorities comprise just 29% of the science and engineering workforce. Within environmentally impactful organizations, less than 12% serve in leadership positions. Women hold only 24% of STEM jobs, and leadership remains 90% male in the highest echelons of conservation, preservation, and environmental organizations.
Community colleges offer excellent flexibility, lower tuition cost, and minimal commuting. More than 50% of students use community college as the first step of their higher education, although only a fraction of students actually transfer from a two-year to a four-year institution. Community colleges currently serve the most diverse populations in the country. What they can seldom provide are high-level research opportunities, as afforded at major universities.
UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory’s commitment to increasing diversity, inclusivity, and equity informs our programming to deliberately impact today’s students and tomorrow’s scientists. Through purposeful outreach via the E2C3 program, we believe in the positive impact of educating new scientists from all walks of life to research, understand, and manage the world’s resources. UMCES believes including these voices and intellects will yield a more creative, complete approach to environmental management and built infrastructure that impact the entire populace.
Freshman and sophomore students at the College of Southern Maryland undergraduate community college can apply to the Environmental Education Community College Collaboration (E2C3) here.