What content, competencies, and skills are needed to prepare undergraduate students for graduate school and/or for future careers in the geosciences? -A range of basic to high-impact skills needed (from recognizing/understanding Earth materials to tech skills) and the ability to apply and transfer these skills beyond a regional context. -Specific content taught in courses remains important and discipline-based remains knowledge is key (acquired in the ‘hook’ courses) but more important to build critical thinking skills (and better define what these are: logic, reasoning, evidence-based, etc.) understand how to apply the knowledge in broader scientific contexts. -Build appreciation of societal importance of geosciences/humans as agents of change on Earth. Being able to translate the scientific knowledge to apply to societal problems. -Make sure students know the specific skill sets and tools/experience they will be learning in an undergraduate course, so they know how it will be applied (and what to list on their resume/cv?)

What should the next-generation undergraduate geoscience curricula include? Given the change in scope of the geosciences, how can we balance more traditional geoscience courses and topics (e.g. mineralogy, paleontology, etc.) with newer ones (e.g. climate, hydrogeology, etc.)? -Consider K-12 standards (NGSS) as foundational for undergraduate education. Need to be reinforced for entry-level students. Science and engineering practices should be used as a guide.

How can we integrate field experiences into the curricula at diverse institutions? -Demonstrate to students important formations/mechanisms to look for and how to identify them in the field. -Set a precedent early on in courses and programs ranging from community colleges to regionally-based REUs

How do we ensure students develop critical-thinking and problem solving skills and the ability to be life-long learners? -Must first define and have a consensus on what critical thinking is and what it means to be a critical thinker in an earth science context. -Evidence-based arguments applied to earth systems/processes. -Increase problem-based learning.

How do we successfully teach students to work well in a team environment? What other skills and types of courses will be critical to students’ success in the workforce of the future? -Set experiential learning requirements to substitute for internships and provide the role of apprenticeships/training. -Core curriculum for geology/geoscience majors might vary by what region of the country they live in (geologic setting, types of jobs in that region, etc.) Many undergraduate internship opportunities tend to be regional.

How do we make sure that students graduate with the communication skills and understanding of social science that will make them effective in their chosen careers? How do we infuse curricula with an appreciation for ethics and personal responsibility? -Internships can provide apprenticeships/training for careers. Encourage students to find internships. -Importance of university core curriculum - e.g. social science and communication courses, and electives available for geosciences majors. Geology core curriculum may include e.g. a geologic presentation course. -Courses to teach students to step back and look at the larger implications of a geoscientific/environmental issue, and how to consider both sides from a policy standpoint.

What should geoscience departments and faculty do to prepare undergraduates for rapidly advancing technologies that they will need to use in the future? What place does computational modeling and simulation, analysis of large datasets, and new visualization and geospatial tools and programs (e.g. Google Earth, Arc GIS) have in undergraduate education? -Agree that GIS, Google Earth, etc. are important and teach early and often. -instruction in using web-based tools for integrated geospatial analysis. -Reinforce importance of learning web-based technology. -The next generation of geosciences majors will supposedly be tech-savvy, but students must learn the importance of using technological tools to process datasets, and being proficient programmers, spatial analysts etc. (not just how to use Wikipedia and Google). -Teach students the skills needed to assimilate data and to take full advantage of newly available technologies. Students should also learn how to analyze and present data/results effectively.