The USGS - Portland State University Partnership (known as the UPP) is committed to the facilitation of minority and POC students and staff to the forefront of scientific education, research, and management. This summer, UPP partnered with the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), to provide Nahom Ketema and Edgar Sanchez Fausto, both PSU STEM majors, the opportunity to create their own low-cost Smart Rock stream sensors in a virtual workshop led by the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrological Science (CUAHSI).
Ketema, a sophomore who is pursuing a degree in computer science, first enrolled in the LSAMP program last year. He plans to create new software programs and learn more about computers with his degree. Fausto, a senior transfer, wants to use his environmental engineering major, to “come up with ideas and designs such as these (low-cost sensors).”
A Smart Rock kit, which included the tools to build an instrument with pressure, temperature, turbidity, pH, and salinity sensors, was sent to each participant's house. Smart Rock sensors are becoming more popular among scientists in reducing the gap of existing data about small seasonal streams across the United States. The basic kit costs about $200, with several add-on features, and takes about 10 hours for a novice to construct. LSAMP and the UPP covered the cost of the workshop, including materials, for both students.
Each student followed virtual instructions and worked over a four day period to build and program their sensor. Both Fausto and Ketema stated that they had no previous experience constructing hydrological sensors. When asked about their virtual learning experience Fausto noted that “The online format worked well for some of the simpler steps.” Ketema added, “The online format that was set up was great! We had clear instructions on it and it helped us participate in the workshop.”
One of the goals of UPP partnering with programs like LSAMP is to provide minority students with a space to gain experiences, grow their scientific skills and confidence which can later be applied to their professional and academic futures. In turn, this supports the transition toward the diversification of the scientific community.
Upon completion of the workshop, Fausto stated that his main takeaway was that “you can build something useful using existing technology and ingenuity. It definitely solidified my goals to become an environmental engineer.” He believes strongly in the importance of LSAMP’s work and partnership with the UPP, particularly with regard to its financial support because it removes barriers for POC engagement in these types of opportunities.
“Since these workshops are costly and geared towards professionals, it's difficult to get BIPOC students engaged. Organizations like LSAMP are able to support BIPOC students in attending these workshops by providing financial resources/sponsorships.” Ketema agreed, saying, “I believe programs like LSAMP help in diversifying STEM fields by giving minorities an opportunity to see that there are others that are pursuing a degree despite the adversities. I personally believe it is vital to be able to integrate more POC into the STEM field because unfortunately, there is a wide income gap between races here in the United States. I believe having more students of color in stem would help in breaking that income gap and make it easier for future generations to be able to live in a more just environment.”