Implementation Grant: Community-Soil-Air-Water (CSAW): A Model Community-Based Learning Ecosystem to Transform Geosciences

The Community-Soil-Air-Water (CSAW) learning ecosystem will integrate justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion into the practices of collaborating with communities in geosciences research. To expand capacity and accountability in socio-environmental research collaborations between geoscientists and community partners, CSAW will bring together three academic partners (Georgia State University, a Predominantly Black Institution, Spelman College, a Historically Black College, and Emory University) with two community organizations: the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and ECO-Action.

This project will address the question: How can Geoscientists learn from, contribute to, and find solutions with communities facing fundamental problems related to Earth systems? CSAW will examine how a learning ecosystem model centered in community-engaged, place-based research can increase: (1) recruitment, retention, and training of diverse geoscientists; and (2) capacity for and accountability within collaboration between geoscientists and communities addressing socio-environmental problems.

Cohorts of faculty and community organizers along with 12 post-baccalaureate (postbac) scholars and 15 Master’s students will be trained in building outreach and research projects with community partners using a framework of shared values of equity, transparency, and accountability. These projects will address critical needs in place-based Earth systems research including Soil lead and other heavy metal contamination and radon exposure; Air pollution, climate change, and heat mapping; and Water pollution, urban flooding, and green stormwater infrastructure.

The overall goals and objectives of the project are to build a BRIDGE: 1) Build and formalize the CSAW learning ecosystem with all cohort members to solve socio-environmental challenges; 2) Recruit diverse cohorts of postbacs and Master’s students and train them in professional development, community engagement, and networking, with a focus on centering justice, equity, and inclusion; 3) Implement training, programming, and pedagogy protocols to recruit, mentor, and support diverse students, community collaborators, and faculty in the geosciences; 4) Develop an asset-based model of collaboration with community-driven research to include formal training, accountability, and assessment for engagement practices and outcomes; and 5) Grow a network, materials, and prototype to expand the CSAW learning Ecosystem model to other communities, universities, and institutions. CSAW partnerships will advance a broad range of scholarship on socio-environmental problems and their solutions, and on best practices for geoscientists in community engagement, accountability, and co-production.

CSAW will provide a well-evaluated and successful model to adopt in transformative geosciences work across disciplines. Through broadening participation of underrepresented groups and building and enhancing partnerships with community advocacy groups, the CSAW learning ecosystem will provide a prototype to promote geoscience transformations at other institutions and across disciplines.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.