On March 25, 2008, Elizabeth City State University undergraduate research students Unquiea Wade, Tiwana Walton, MyAsia Reid, Bryce Carmichael, Wanda-Marie Carey, Vernon Brown, Justin Deloatch, Chelsea Goins, and Chelsea Vick joined Dr. Linda Hayden, Dr. Darnell Johnson, and Dr. Andrea Lawrence in attendance at the National Science Foundation Science Technology Centers site visit for the Center of Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) located at The University of Kansas.

CReSIS vision is to understand and predict the role of polar ice sheets in sea level change. Their mission objectives are to conduct and foster research to understand and quantify the role of polar ice sheets in sea level rise. Inspire and educate the next generation of scientist and engineers. Increase diversity in the fields of science and engineering. Finally, engage in knowledge transfer to benefit various industries, the public, and the scientific community.

The NSF site visits reviews how CReSIS is operating as a center and has the center improved to meeting its objects. CReSIS has made many major developments in the past year. The PolarGrid NSF MRI funded a partnership between Indiana University and Elizabeth City State University. The PolarGrid has IT infrastructure with grid capabilities for CReSIS polar expeditions. This allows data in the field to be analyze more efficiently and helps optimize the field equipment. There are several systems that can be expedited on a CReSIS field campaign. There has been the first radar sounding and airborne imaging of the Jakobshavn channel.

Victoria Lytle gave a presentation on CReSIS Education Program and Outreach. The mission of CReSIS Education Team is to educate and train a diverse population of graduate and undergraduate students in multi-disciplinary polar research, provide research opportunities for undergraduate students as a pathway to graduate education, and reach out to encourage K-12 students to pursue careers in science and engineering.

The K-12 outreach has amplified. CReSIS has visited a combined total of 75 schools, museums, or camps, reached out to over 16,000 students and 900 teachers in K-12. There has been added pre and post visits activities to sites. Counties have been targeted with large number of underrepresented groups for outreach efforts. There has been a development of after-school activities for middle school and high school students.

CReSIS incorporated undergraduate courses at University of Maine, Ohio State University, University of Kansas and Elizabeth City State University. The CReSIS Research Undergraduate Experience has increased from 7 students in 2006 to 20 students. There were 16 undergraduate students hosted at the University of Kansas and 4 students hosted at Pennsylvania State University. Eight international exchanges have been made of CReSIS graduate students.

The education team recommendations are made for year 4 direction plan. The graduate program should pursue options for ice sheet modeling summer school. Develop courses and teach courses in “Data Management Considerations for Researchers” and “Being an Effective College Instructor”. The undergraduate program should work with STARS to increase number of students from underrepresented groups .Continue integration of CReSIS research into undergraduate courses. K-12 outreach program should improve and expand education resources on CReSIS website. Expand teacher development workshops at OSU, KU, and ECSU; including “virtual course” for internet participation.

On March 2008, Dr. Linda B. Hayden gave a presentation on the Diversity Program Accomplishments. In this presentation she addressed the diversity goals, centers progress, CReSIS demographics, year 3 accomplishments, and year 4 directions. The diversity objectives were:
1) Recruit and mentor graduate students from a diverse population. Retain 20% of the Center’s students from underrepresented groups.
2) Provide research opportunities and financial support for the underrepresented student population at our partner institutions.
3) Establish distinguished scientist and engineer lecture exchange program.
4) Conduct outreach by participating in conferences and meetings attended by large numbers of minority and female students
5) Assure diversity efforts address issues in K-12 education.
6) Maintain a diverse staff of scientist, engineers, managers, and administrators throughout the Center.

The status of these goals is as follows:
1) 30% of the Center’s graduate students are from underrepresented groups (57% undergraduate). 19 % of CReSIS graduate students and 38% of CReSIS undergraduates are women.
2) Among our 2007 REU participants, 57% were from underrepresented groups; 43% were women. One (of seven) International Exchange Research program participants was from an underrepresented group; 43% were women.
3) The CReSIS All-Hands seminar series continues in Year 3 with one recent presentation focused on “Gender Issues”. IEEE-GRSS Distinguished Lecture at ECSU. Dr. Derrick Lampkin (PSU) and Dr. Richard Moore (KU) were their fall and spring speakers, respectively.
4) Examples include: SACNAS 2007, ADMI 2008, Tribal College Forum. University-sponsored recruiting events focused to underrepresented students and women.
5) Topeka and Columbus Public Schools Outreach has occurred and ECSU led a CReSIS Middle School Program.
6) Faculty is 20% from underrepresented groups; 15% are women.

There were many accomplishments in year 3 for diversity efforts. The first female Electrical Engineering faculty member was recruited at KU. Recruitment efforts are being put forth to find glaciology faculty member at KU. Two of the three candidates for this position are women. Victoria Lytle was hire as the new Association Director for Education and Outreach. K-12 outreach has expanded efforts in Topeka (53% of classroom visits) and Columbus, OH (71% of K-12 outreach).From the summer 2007 REU’s: a female CS-major has joined CReSIS as an undergraduate researcher, a female AE-major has been accepted at KU in the aerospace engineering program, and a male, African-American Earth, Science, Science, and Marine Science major is now working in the oil and gas industry after two summer REU efforts at PSU.

In summary, there has been a major success rate with CReSIS REU programs. The following recommendations are made for year 4 direction plan. There is a need to strengthen CReSIS relationship with Topeka and Columbus Public Schools, have CReSIS sponsor a SACNSAS 2008 session and continue support for the American Indian/Alaska Native Working Group.

A lunch discussion was conducted with CReSIS students and then a poster session was held. There was a brief introduction period of the NSF board members, staff, and students in the discussion. Many critical questions were asked among the students:

• How has CReSIS helped you in your education?
• What are your experiences with being involved with CReSIS?
• What improvements does CReSIS need?
• Is there contact among the students at the partner institutions?

During the student panel discussion students were allowed to share their testimonies on how CReSIS has impacted their education, career, and lives during the student panel. This was the most interesting part of the site visit because I had an opportunity to evaluate CReSIS and learn my other colleague’s experiences. This site visit gave me insight to CReSIS future objectives for next year and allowed me to give my opinion about CReSIS.