Earth science education lacking - Demand for earth scientists growing

 

As our country's new recovery package begins to be implemented there will be an even greater call for individuals with an earth science background. As we carry out our pledge to go green, more green jobs will be created and there will be a growing need to fill those positions with people who have degrees in the geosciences.

However, the way our school systems are currently structured in regard to curriculum, they do not lend to getting up-and-coming generations ready to meet the growing demand.

Let us take a moment to consider which fields are included in the geosciences, according to the American Geological Institute (AGI).

AGI has identified 3 main categories. They are (listed with their subcategories when applicable):

1. Geoscientist - Subfields: Environmental science, Hydrology, Oceanography, Atmospheric science, Geology, Geophysics, Climate science, Geochemistry, Paleontology
2. Geoengineer - Subfields: Environmental, Exploration, Geotechnical
3. Geomanager

According to Yahoo! hotjobs, "[e]nvironmental scientists will be the heroes of the coming era, developing much-needed strategies to redress environmental damage to soil, water, and air. The field is expected to grow 25% in response to new federal regulations and funding, as well as private investment. A bachelor's degree in earth sciences will get you started in this fascinating and important field."

They also reported that the median salary for scientists in this field is $30.71 per hour, or $63,870 per year. Going into the earth science field certainly seems rewarding on several levels.

There already exists a shortage of geoscientists in the workplace and the field growth will just add to the shortage. AGI said in their February, 2009, Status of the Geoscience Workforce that there are "...approximately 1,500 geoscience graduate students transitioning into the professional workplace each year" and that "...falls short of geoscience workforce demand and replacement needs."

AGI estimates that "[b]y 2030, the unmet demand for geoscientists in the petroleum industry [alone] will be approximately 30,000 workers."

Part of the problem lies in the fact that not many students get the same amount of education in or exposure to the earth sciences as they do other sciences, like life sciences. And as children move up through school grades, after 6th grade, the trend is to teach general science rather than specific sciences.

Although earth science classes are recommended as part of the high school curriculum in several state, it is only required in seven of them. It must be noted that 14 states leave it up to individual districts to decide whether it will be required or not.

AGI reported that for the past 26 years, the percentage of high school students taking earth science classes has not exceeded 25%. But the problem doesn't stop at the high school level.

As time goes by, more and more college-aged students are opting to go to community college before going off to four-year schools. And, unfortunately, only five percent of community colleges offer programs in the geosciences like geology, hydrology, and atmospheric science. There is little possibilty of getting an associate's degree in the field.

Often times, it is in the first two years of college that students find their education direction if they didn't figure it out in high school. If these programs aren't being offered at the community college level, students don't have the opportunity to test the waters before moving on to a four-year school.

Although there are goescience department in universities in all US states, there has been a a steady decrease, since 1999, in faculty size and student size. It was reported by AGI that in 2008, the median faculty size was 8 and the median student size was 45.

AGI has also reported that "...less than 13% of the approximately 6,000 new U.S. geoscience bachelor’s majors in the fall of 2008 will ever work in the geoscience field professionally. This number is particularly troubling given that only 28% of all science and engineering majors work in their field."

AGI recognized that "[m]easurement, analysis, and reporting of all aspects of the geoscience workforce system are critical for decision makers to successfully support building the future capacity for geoscience in the United States." It is important that there is understanding to get at the root of the problem to determine how to turn these trends around.

If we are to really go green, we will need people with the expertise to lead us there and as it stands now, we are not prepared.