Promoting inclusion in ecological field experiences: Examining and overcoming barriers to a professional rite of passage

Abstract

Field experiences can provide transformative opportunities for many individuals who eventually pursue ecology, natural resource, and conservation careers. However, some of the same elements of field-based programs that define and provide pivotal experiences for some represent barriers for others, especially students from underrepresented groups. Barriers may be financial, physical, cultural, or social. Issues of gender, identity, and race/ethnicity, for example, can be isolating or shut down learning during intensive field experiences when group leaders are not prepared to respond to interpersonal challenges. We explore some benefits and barriers presented by field learning UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

A comparative study between outcomes of an in‐person versus online introductory field course

“…Field courses provide students with valuable opportunities to learn physical and biological content and gain hands‐on practice in natural settings (Dillon et al., 2006; Durrant & Hartman, 2015; Easton & Gilburn, 2012; Hix, 2015; Morales et al., 2020). In their traditional in‐person formats, field courses are an important tool for retention, success, and equity in science majors, especially for underrepresented minorities (URM) (Beltran et al., 2020).…”

Toward Conceptualizing Student Outcomes in Undergraduate Field Programs and Employer Expectations for Field Positions

“…Mostly, transferable skills are presumably what students should acquire before entering the workforce (Byers 2018, Dale 2018). Aside from what students learn in the classroom, gaining practical experience through internship programs, fellowships, or volunteer opportunities are highly valuable because they indicate the students’ adaptability in various work settings (i.e., laboratory, field, and office; Morales et al 2020).…”

“…Many field‐related majors offer internships and laboratory courses to better prepare students for their chosen career path. There is also a general agreement that fieldwork provides skills and knowledge that cannot be learned in a classroom setting (Aplet et al 2017, Fleischner et al 2017, Byers 2018, O’Connell et al 2020, Morales et al 2020). However, while field programs at the undergraduate level have been offered for decades, they are often not required for graduation in a field‐related major.…”

Inclusive conservation requires amplifying experiences of diverse scientists

“…Karen Bailey, Nia Morales and Milton Newberry III N avigating the pipeline from education to career is difficult in the best of times. In many environmental and conservation fields, the added rigours of fieldwork present physical and emotional challenges 1 . For people who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or people of colour (BIPOC), as well as those in other marginalized groups, there is yet another layer of unique challenges.…”