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Graduate Student Reflections on Learning and Implementing Community Science Methods to Tackle Compounding Climate Extremes

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Scientific research that addresses the complex impacts of climate change requires training researchers capable of conducting societally relevant and actionable research through equitable community science methods. In this article, we, a cohort of eight graduate students with the United States Geological Survey Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center 2022–2023 Natural Resource Workforce Development Fellowship, reflect on our experience learning and using community science skills as an interdisciplinary team through the lens of an experiential learning research project. Through this year‐long fellowship, we increased our competency in equitable community science skills identified in the literature, including transdisciplinary and ethical thinking, building interpersonal relationships, working as a team toward a shared goal, and self‐reflection. We also encountered several challenges in executing community science, some we had anticipated and some we had not, including our ability to develop meaningful and equitable collaborations within the fellowship timeframe. Our reflections highlight the importance of partnership development, flexibility, and clear communication in overcoming these challenges while also underscoring the need for longer‐term community partner engagement, mentorship, and institutional support to facilitate meaningful and equitable collaborations. We share and provide reflection for future students, educators, and practitioners on our experience as graduate students participating in a training‐focused fellowship to learn and engage in community science methods.

Source: Community Science

DOI: 10.1029/2025csj000143

Authors: Catherine M. McClure, Haley A. Canham, Anna Marshall, Elijah Catalan, Mariana Webb, Gods'gift Chukwuonye