Summary, Guiding Question #5

How can we effectively expand/prioritize training programs for scientists involved with scientific ocean drilling research?

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Figure 8: Example of an IODP Training Workshop currently being run for Early Career Researchers.

Provenance: Adriane Lam, SUNY at Binghamton
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Values and Priorities

• Training opportunities should continue, evolve, and be expanded in order to meet scientific ocean drilling workforce development needs and the 2050 Science Framework goals.The program-driven and community-driven training opportunities within IODP to develop scientific and transdisciplinary skills are valued by the community.
• The community would like to see increased access to training resources in more globally accessible formats.(Current opportunities range from in person workshops and summer short courses, virtual information sessions, and online training resources such as the published Technical Notes on smear slide analysis with embedded tutorials.)

Recommended Tools and/or Strategies

• A number of new training directions emerged from discussions at the workshop. The scope ranges from training that focus on skills that can apply cross-platform in preparation for sailing, to training for virtual expeditions and onshore activities (e.g., making sample requests, data visualization, coding, age-model development, XRF scanning, writing post-expedition research proposals), to transdisciplinary skills training, such as science communication (how to tell a story), mentoring, and mental health.
• Broadening access to training may be supported by expanding out from the traditional in-person workshops to also include online workshops and/or online resources. Of strong interest is developing a library of high quality virtual training videos (e.g., short focused 'how to' protocol videos), and increased use of hybrid / virtual (and archived) training workshops and seminars that also make use of synchronous and asynchronous tools for networking opportunities.
• To support the wider range of training directions, bring in a wider range of  experts (e.g, industry /private sector scientists, DEIJ experts, mentoring experts, science communication experts, and education experts), and consider partnering with other organizations to facilitate training and expand networking. 
• To support growth of a more diverse workforce, broaden the participant pool invited to participate in training opportunities. Employ intentional and research-informed (evidence-based) efforts for improving DEIJ in scientific ocean drilling. In addition, consider including educators, graduate students, and undergraduate (4YC and 2YC) students in a wider range of training events.

Challenges

• Need a better web-based infrastructure for finding, hosting, organizing a library of training resources and training programs. 
• Funding and resources need to be identified to support an evolved and expanded training strategy.
• Early career faculty face many difficulties and do not always have a positive sense of belonging /support network in the scientific ocean drilling community.