Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise (2024)

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5 Attracting, Recruiting, Retaining, and Diversifying the Ocean Acoustics Workforce Ocean acoustics, as discussed in previous chapters, is a highly interdisciplinary field at the nexus of multiple STEM disciplines. Therefore, in terms of recruitment and retention, it faces a unique set of challenges, in addition to those common to the broader STEM domain. This chapter examines these challenges as revealed in the community survey conducted for this report and findings from studies focused on similar issues in STEM, specifically in disciplines most closely related to the ocean acoustics education and expertise landscape, including physics, engineering, and oceanography. The chapter also highlights opportunities in the educational institutions and communities at the K–12, undergraduate, and graduate levels, in reference to the various dimensions of diversity, which the committee deemed important for growing the workforce. An ocean acoustic workforce that embraces these dimensions of diversity can help to foster inclusion and retention. The discussion includes previous and active example programs in general STEM and oceanography designed to raise awareness of the field, build educational capacity at the K–12 level, improve recruitment and retention of post-secondary students for 2- or 4-year institutions, and increase retention of postgraduates in the workforce. This chapter is guided by the overall need for expanding ocean acoustics education and training capabilities, increasing workforce retention, and strengthening the diversity of the workforce. CURRENT DEMOGRAPHICS AND REPRESENTATION IN STEM Due to the interdisciplinary nature of ocean acoustics, it is valuable to look across many STEM fields when considering its demographics and potential representation. Representation (e.g., sex, race or ethnicity, and disability status) varies within the broader STEM workforce and is uneven among STEM occupations. Women, persons with disabilities, and persons from some racial and ethnic minority groups (e.g., Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, and American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN)) are underrepresented—approximately one third (35 percent)—of those employed in a STEM occupation combined, according to the 2023 Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities report from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). In addition, “women and some racial and ethnic minority groups are also underrepresented in postsecondary science and engineering (S&E) education—which may be indicative of their future retention in the STEM workforce.” NCSES (2023) also reports that White workers (22.4 million) represented the largest race and ethnic group in the STEM workforce, followed by Hispanic (5.1 million), Asian (3.6 million), Black (3.0 million), and AIAN (216,000) workers (Figure 5-1 and 5-2). These can be compared with 98.1 million White, 29.4 million Hispanic, 10.1 million Asian, 19.2 million Black, and 1.8 million AIAN workers in the overall U.S. labor force in 2021 (BLS, 2023). According to a 2021 Pew Research Center report, STEM Jobs See Uneven Progress in Increasing Gender, Racial and Ethnic Diversity, several issues contribute to the differences in demographic representation: 1) race/ethnicity: Hispanic and Black workers are underrepresented, whereas White and Asian workers are overrepresented; and 2) gender: although STEM workers have an increased potential to earn higher wages than other occupations, pay gaps exist. Specifically, women are clustered in lower- paying STEM jobs in the health care industry and underrepresented in the more lucrative fields, such as engineering and computer science. The pattern is similar for those identifying as Black or Hispanic, widening the earnings disparity. Prepublication Copy 55 

56 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise FIGURE 5-1 Characteristics of the STEM workforce ages 18–74 from 2011 and 2021. From the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics NSF 23-315, data from Census Bureau Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement. NOTES: AIAN: American Indian or Alaska Native; Hispanic or Latino may be any race; race categories exclude Hispanic origin. “Other” includes Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander and more than one race. Respondents can report more than one disability. Those who reported difficulty with one or more functionalities were classified as having a disability. Due to rounding percentages, numbers may not sum to 100 or subgroup totals. SOURCE: NCSES (2023). DIVERSE REPRESENTATION When seeking solutions for increasing diversity, it is important to consider the multiple dimensions of diversity (Salice, 2012; Williams, 2013; Freeman, 2018; Siewert, 2022), which include gender, religious beliefs, race, marital status, ethnicity, parental status, age, education, physical and mental ability, income, sexual orientation, occupation (further segmented by years in the field/experience/career stage), language, geographic location, and socioeconomic status. Every person is shaped by their primary (age, race, gender, etc.) and secondary (work experience, military experience, income, location, etc.) dimensions of diversity (Crenshaw, 1990; Gutiérrez y Muhs, et al., 2012)(Figure 5- 3). Where these different dimensions of diversity meet is known as intersectionality. According to the Center for Intersectional Justice,1 “the concept of intersectionality describes the ways in which systems of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class and other forms of discrimination ‘intersect’ to create unique dynamics and effects” (CIJ, 2023). In addition, “barriers to entry and participation have been well-studied; however, few have examined the effect of these disparities on the advancement of science. Furthermore, most studies have looked at either race or gender, failing to account for the intersection of these variables” (Kozlowski et al., 2022). 1 See https://www.intersectionaljustice.org/what-is-intersectionality. Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 57 FIGURE 5-2 Education of the STEM workforce ages 18–74 by sex, ethnicity, race, and disability: 2021. From the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics NSF 23-315, data from Census Bureau Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement. NOTES: AIAN: American Indian or Alaska Native; Hispanic or Latino may be any race; race categories exclude Hispanic origin. Other includes Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander and more than one race. Respondents can report more than one disability. Those who reported difficulty with one or more functionalities were classified as having a disability. SOURCE: NCSES (2023). Related to the ocean acoustics field, intersection of dimensions of diversity can contribute to issues making field operations lonely, difficult, or nearly impossible. The nature of collecting acoustics data at sea, for example, can present challenges for particular underrepresented groups, such as unsafe working environments for women on research vessels (Amon et al., 2022). The field, especially data acquisition at sea, could be improved to facilitate and encourage the participation of individuals from excluded groups (such as women and people with disabilities). The complex and interdisciplinary nature of ocean acoustics benefits from a diverse workforce bringing together different perspectives and experiences to advance the field. Given that most studies have primarily looked at one dimension of diversity (e.g., race, gender, citizenship), the committee was only able to report available data from this perspective. It suggests that future studies consider a more holistic perspective of diversity. Conclusion 5-1: More granular demographic information is needed to better understand and effectively develop support mechanisms that will encourage greater diversity in STEM and ocean acoustics. Prepublication Copy 

58 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise FIGURE 5-3 Primary (inner circle) and secondary (outer circle) dimensions of diversity. NOTE: This figure is based upon work by Aara’L Yarber, Pennsylvania State University and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Diversity and Inclusion Fellow, https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/what_diversity.html. SOURCES: Adapted from Williams (2013) and Yarber (2019). ISSUES SUPPRESSING PARITY With respect to educational preparation, ocean acoustics (and related STEM disciplines) is not unique in its interest in improving diversity in race and ethnicity. A large body of literature documents the struggles to attract and retain underrepresented minorities (URMs) in STEM education and careers (Hurtado, 2010; Herrera, 2011; Duran and Lopez, 2015). STEM education research is used as a corollary for ocean acoustics, given no research specific to attracting and retaining URMs into ocean acoustics, as noted in other areas of this report. Attraction and retention in STEM are complicated by a lack of sense of belonging, false belief that they will be the “only one,” the quality of secondary STEM curricula available to a student, social environments, and lack of exposure (Dewsbury et al., 2019). Additional factors are first-generation students not receiving informed parental guidance, financial difficulties, absent connections and networks, and an increased potential for familial obligations requiring students to stay close to home or take a limited course load. These factors contribute to 53 percent of URM students being unsuccessful in their introductory STEM classes and leaving without a degree (Chen, 2013). Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 59 Bernard and Cooperdock (2018) analyzed more than 40 years of demographic data that tabulated the numbers of doctoral degrees in earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences earned by U.S. citizens and permanent residents. They discovered that racial diversity (e.g., AIAN, Black or African American, and Hispanic or Latino groups) had not changed over the time of the available data (1973–2018). Ph.D.s in these fields were obtained by a majority of non-Hispanic White people (86 percent across all years) and increased over the last decade of data, whereas those granted to representatives from minority groups remained much lower and stagnant. In 2022, The Oceanography Society (TOS) surveyed its members to identify challenges, initiatives, and opportunities related to advancing diversity in ocean sciences (Meyer-Gutbrod et al. 2023). During a subsequent Ocean Sciences Meeting Town Hall, TOS collected input on these topics. The TOS survey data indicated that implicit and explicit cultural and institutional constraints to and requirements for entry into a field were identified as the most significant challenge to increasing diversity in the ocean sciences, which is where many ocean acoustics programs reside. Many TOS study respondents reported that efforts to broaden participation have been successful, despite the Bernard and Cooperdock (2018) findings. Respondents highlighted the development and support of mentorship and training programs, in addition to partnerships with minority-serving institutions (MSIs) as key to making strides in recruiting and retaining underrepresented students. Respondents agreed that professional and scientific societies have an important role to play in advancing diversity in the ocean sciences. Although these are not specific to ocean acoustics, it is important to also recognize existing federally funded programs at MSIs, such as the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), that target increasing diverse participation and representation in general STEM (DoEd 2023; NOAA EPP/MSI, 2023; NSF HBCU-UP, 2023). These may be productive avenues to increase diversity if ocean acoustics or related elements could be incorporated into the curriculum and/or extracurricular programs, such as those described in Chapter 3, Training Programs. Existing ocean acoustics programs at other institutions can also learn from these programs to target engagement and participation of URMs. Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise Survey Academic Responses Questions relating to diversity (e.g., recruitment, hiring) were asked in this study’s survey, and several items from the academic respondents were of concern (see Appendix B Table 22) Figure 5-4 displays responses about the effective recruitment strategies to increase diversity by institutions. Additionally, Table 5-1, an excerpt from Table 22 in Appendix B, shows responses about recruitment and hiring of diverse faculty members. This uneven landscape of efforts to increase diversity was concerning, given that students enrolled in acoustics programs are majority male (60 percent). This topic has become more contentious due to legal considerations regarding sharing data of this nature and may have prevented some institutions from reporting their demographic data. However, to underscore the lack of diversity in acoustics, respondents within academia reported that employed professionals with acoustics expertise at their institutions were overwhelmingly male (83 percent) and White (93 percent). Faculty racial and gender diversity was also limited (see Appendix B Table 22). These data align with well-documented barriers in academia to the advancement and tenure of individuals from underrepresented groups (NASEM, 2023). According to the NCSES (NCSES, 2021), tenure-track positions were obtained by nearly “50 percent of White doctoral scientists and engineers, as opposed to 40 percent of Asian employees and 42 percent of employees from minoritized racial and ethnic groups.” Prepublication Copy 

60 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise FIGURE 5-4 Responses to survey question “My institution has effective recruitment strategies that increase student diversity in acoustics.” SOURCE: Generated from Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise results (see Appendix B). Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise Survey Industry Responses Industry survey respondents shared positivity about the state of diversity in their organizations in their open-ended responses, indicating that internship or apprenticeship programs focused specifically on recruiting students from underserved populations or targeted their program to meet the needs of a diverse audience. They also made connections with a variety of people (e.g., professors, advisors, students) or historically diverse schools (e.g., HBCUs, HSIs, community colleges) through recruitment into internship and apprenticeship programs (see Appendix B, Exhibit 11). The survey data informing this report showed “room for growth” in ocean acoustics diversity. However, it is difficult to accurately capture all dimensions of diversity in a single survey due to limits on the number and types of questions that can be asked. In addition, in attempting to gain an understanding of the need to increase the diversity of people in ocean acoustics and related fields, the survey is dependent on self-reporting. It did not seek individual responses; respondents were asked to report on behalf of their institutions. This meant that the survey could not capture granularity with respect to the various dimensions of diversity. Citizenship According to the Open Doors 2022 report on International Educational Exchange produced by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, “The United States continues to be the top destination for international students” (IIE, 2022). Enrollment trends for international students decreased over the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 school years largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic before increasing over the past 2 years (IIE, 2023). Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 61 TABLE 5-1 Excerpt of Table 22 from Appendix B Unable to answer on behalf of my Strongly Strongly institution/Prefer No Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Agree not to answer response My institution has effective 5 9 13 9 1 9 13 hiring practices and policies (8.5%) (15.3%) (22%) (15.3%) (1.7%) (15.3%) (22%) that increase faculty diversity in the field of acoustics. My institution is actively 6 6 10 14 1 9 13 seeking to increase gender (10.2%) (10.2%) (16.9%) (23.7%) (1.7%) (15.3%) (22%) diversity in the faculty and administration supporting the field of acoustics. My institution is actively 6 6 8 16 2 8 13 seeking to increase racial and (10.2%) (10.2%) (13.6%) (27.1%) (3.4%) (13.6%) (22%) ethnic diversity in the faculty and administration supporting the field of acoustics. FIGURE 5-5 International students in the United States by fields of study as reported in the 2022 Open Doors Report. The large proportion pursuing engineering, physical and life science, or math and computer science should indicate a large pool that ocean-acoustics-related industries could draw from. SOURCE: IIE (2022). The large proportion of international students studying engineering, mathematics, and physical sciences (see Figure 5-5) would appear to offer a large pool to recruit into acoustics-related careers. Encouraging international students to pursue ocean acoustics or related fields of study could benefit industry, especially multinational companies. Citizenship status, however, can become an employment roadblock when pursuing a career with the federal government. In addition, a significant amount of funding for ocean acoustics research originates with defense organizations that require U.S. citizenship for grantees, which may exclude international students from federal grant funding for internships, fellowships, and research opportunities. Prepublication Copy 

62 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise Gender Beginning in middle school, some girls and young women begin to lose interest because they have a hard time picturing themselves in STEM roles (Kim et al., 2018). For women who persist into the academic workforce, attrition rates continue. Efforts to increase women in STEM academic positions have had mixed results. Despite the gains for women overall in STEM fields, in 2018, women were earning 49 percent of the bachelor’s degrees and 41 percent of the doctoral degrees in science and engineering but represented less than one third of the STEM full professors (28 percent) in science fields (NSF, 2021). The loss of women in the STEM workforce is even greater for underrepresented groups. These women earn less than 5 percent of undergraduate STEM degrees and only 5 percent of doctorate degrees (Casad et al., 2021). An analysis of almost a quarter of a million employment records (tenured or tenure-track academic posts, 2011–2020) by Spoon et al. (2023) suggests that women are at greater risk than men of leaving their positions at all career stages. The top reason for leaving was “workplace climate” or feeling “pushed out” of academia (Figure 5-6), rather than feeling a more positive pull toward another opportunity (Sidik, 2023). Other studies have found that obstacles in retaining women in STEM careers include challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities, biased cultural stereotypes about appropriateness for some science and engineering jobs, and assumptions that women are less committed to their jobs than men (VanHeuvelen and Quadlin 2021). FIGURE 5-6 A comparison of reasons given why women and men leave the workplace. SOURCE: Sidik (2023). Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 63 Maurer et al. (2021) found that women employed in STEM are also underrepresented in supervisory positions and more likely to leave their jobs than men. Sieghart (2021) argues in The Authority Gap: Why Women are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men and What We Can Do About It that “the persistence of gender inequality in modern society and how it affects the world in which we live, through the limitations that are put on women to attain positions of power and authority.” She asserts that collectively, we must 1) challenge gender stereotypes and biases by promoting gender-neutral language, providing unconscious bias training, and addressing microaggressions in the workplace; 2) support women’s career development by providing mentorship, leadership training, and promoting work–life balance; 3) encourage men to be allies by advocating for gender equality, and 4) address pay and promotion gaps. Equity for Women in Science: Dismantling Systemic Barriers to Advancement (Sugimoto and Lariviere, 2023) suggests a few actions organizations can take to support women persisting in the sciences. They range in effort, from acknowledging the work of female scientists in syllabi to being mindful of work–life balance issues to creating quotas for elite speaking opportunities and awards to requiring institutions to meet gender representation benchmarks to receive research funding. The NASEM 2024 report, Supporting Family Caregivers in STEMM: A Call to Action, strove to capture the undervalued contributions of caregivers in the academic STEMM ecosystem. It reviews policies and practices and innovative practices and offers actionable recommendations to higher education institutions, public and private funders, and the federal government. One notable example of promoting work–life balance that the committee learned of during the information-gathering phase is a program led by Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI). It offers support to its collaborating researchers sailing aboard R/V Falkor (too) to defray some of the costs they bear to manage familial responsibilities while out to sea. SOI reimburses up to $500 per person per day, up to $5,000 per expedition, that may be used for caregiving for child or elderly dependents ashore. The intent is to alleviate some of the burden investigators experience by being at sea and thus aid them in fulfilling the research goals and ambitions of their expedition. This example spotlights a simple change that can alleviate hurdles to career progression. Conclusion 5-2: Although a more accurate accounting regarding diversity among ocean acoustics professionals and students is needed, the community does need to take action now to accelerate diversity and retain a diverse workforce. Recommendation 5-1: The ocean acoustics community should increase diversity and retention through the following: • Institutions of higher education offering degrees in disciplines supporting ocean acoustics should increase academic retention programs to promote a sense of belonging for underrepresented students within STEM disciplines. • Institutions of learning should provide more exposure to positive STEM role models and mentors for girls, young women, and underrepresented minorities at all education levels to integrate STEM identities, build STEM confidence, and demonstrate the possibilities for turning STEM learning into a career. • Employers should improve the workplace climate for women and underrepresented minorities by challenging cultural biases, providing leadership training, supporting work-life balance, promoting parity and providing equal pay. RECRUITMENT THROUGH AWARENESS As discussed in Chapter 4, U.S. ocean acoustics expertise is now in demand to support public and private organizations focused on issues such as port security, renewable energy, commercial fisheries, and non-defense research in addition to continuing national defense needs. As described, a challenge in recruiting students and professionals is a general lack of awareness of the field and its career Prepublication Copy 

64 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise opportunities. This section discusses areas to increase awareness from K–12 and post-secondary education through community outreach and career recruitment. BOX 5-1 Resolving Barriers There are many organizations working to address inclusion in STEM and suggestions for innovative approaches toward systematic change. The International Association for Geoscience Diversitya is a nonprofit dedicated to improving access and inclusion for people with disabilities in the geosciences. Its website includes a number of freely available resources and offers annual accessible, geoscience-themed field trips. The Association for Women in Scienceb offers resources addressing several topics, including intersectionality, broadening participation, and equitable workplaces. Professional societies and organizations, such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)c, offer annual reports that can serve as resources to enact local change. All of these organizations—and more—are shedding light on the fact that the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion is detrimental to individual scientists and the scientific enterprise. Embracing dimensions of diversity can improve the collective capacity for problem solving. a See https://theiagd.org. b See https://awis.org/intersectionality. c See https://www.aaas.org/diversity-equity-inclusion. K–12 There is a persistent and multitiered lack of awareness of ocean acoustics ranging from students, parents, educators (teachers and guidance counselors), and the public about the discipline and potential career paths. Exposure Through Music Education For many students, exposure to acoustics topics comes through music education, where they may learn some basic acoustics principles, such as intensity, frequency, and duration. According to the 2019 National Arts Education Status Report from the Arts Education Data Project, “While 92 percent of students do have access to music education, the data also reveal that a disproportionate number of students without access to music and arts education are concentrated in public schools in major urban or very rural communities; in public schools that have the highest percentage of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals; and in public schools with a student population that is majority Black, Hispanic, or Native American” (NAMM Foundation, 2019). However, when music education is available, curricula focus on topics such as singing and performing on instruments, alone and with others; reading, composing, and arranging music within specified guidelines; listening, evaluating, and describing music; and understanding music in relation to history and culture. The science of acoustics (i.e., waves, frequency, refraction, reflection) is generally not covered; however, students might be exposed to the concepts of pitch and intensity. Therefore, the awareness of acoustics and related careers is for the most part lacking but could introduced through exposure to related concepts in music education. Conclusion 5-3: Although K–12 students may be exposed to some general acoustics terms such as pitch and intensity, awareness of acoustics as a scientific discipline and related career opportunities is lacking in K–12 education. Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 65 Example STEM and Acoustics Secondary School Programs There are few examples of how to combat this lack of acoustics education in secondary schools and lack of exposure to acoustics. The following four examples provide models for how ocean acoustics content could be (or is being) integrated into existing K–12 curricula and educational programming, thereby improving awareness of these specific STEM disciplines. 1) The Scientists for Tomorrow initiative was implemented across Chicago high schools. It was a partnership between higher education institutions, out-of-school organizations, and nonformal education providers to offer opportunities for students to study a variety of topics outside the high-school curriculum. Topics included energy, the physics of sound, and robotics. This initiative showed an increase in students’ content knowledge in the included topic and positive attitudes toward science (Caplan, 2017). 2) The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is an academic competition and program that addresses the national gap in ocean and earth sciences in public education by introducing high-school students to and engaging them in ocean science (Institute of Competition Sciences, 2023). Teams of high-school students work with a coach to compete for regional and national titles across 25 regions. The DOSITS team at URI has contributed competition questions related to ocean acoustics for several years. 3) The URI Marine Technology for Teachers and Students program was funded by NSF. It engaged teams of high-school teachers and students from high-need school districts for over a year. They were introduced to a host of ocean technologies and associated ocean science content; one main thread was ocean acoustics. In addition to learning fundamentals of the science, the teams built, deployed, and tested their own hydrophones. They also were trained to use the free Raven Lite sound analysis software so they could view sounds as both spectrograms and waveforms. Important to career awareness, the teams had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with ocean scientists and engineers from academia, industry, and USN. Students scored well in content knowledge tests immediately after the summer institute and again 10 months later (Babb et al., 2018). 4) The NOAA Teacher at Sea Program (NOAA Fisheries, 2023) offers educators opportunities to join NOAA scientists aboard research vessels as a member of their science team. Since 1990, more than 850 teachers have sailed on NOAA ships. They return to their classrooms with a commitment to integrate their experiences into their classrooms. The alumni association2 shares ocean-related education materials and classroom activities developed by the participants. The Teacher at Sea website could be a place for sharing K–12 ocean acoustics activities that are classroom ready. Conclusion 5-4: While acknowledging the difficulties involved with changing K–12 curricula and education standards, exposure to acoustics can occur through supplemental or extracurricular activities, such as the Science for Tomorrow initiative and the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Teachers People preparing for a career as a high-school physics teacher are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits (state dependent requirement) in physics at the undergraduate level. As ocean acoustics is not generally included in an undergraduate physics curriculum, there is a very limited 2 See https://teacheratseaalumni.org/. Prepublication Copy 

66 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise opportunity for pre-service teachers to gain exposure. To compound the problem, there is a shortage of qualified physics teachers, with some districts easing qualification requirements to fill open positions. In addition, the Next Generation Science Standards encourage integrating content related to waves and sound, however, “acoustics” is missing from these standards. Without exposure at the K–12 level, students may not pursue a related undergraduate major or seek courses with acoustics-related content. Career and Guidance Counselors An often-overlooked resource to creating awareness about ocean acoustics careers is the national pool of high-school career and guidance counselors. They advise students in making academic and career plans by using student aptitude and achievement assessments and evaluating their interests, skills, and abilities. They provide information about choosing and applying for colleges, training programs, financial aid, and internships and apprenticeships. However, counselors often rely on information produced by the U.S. Department of Labor to offer guidance about potential careers, which can have a misleading result. For example, the Occupational Information Network (O*NET)3 is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, and developed by the National Center for O*NET Development. O*NET is considered one of the nation’s primary sources for occupational information, used by millions of people. Its searchable database is based on the Standard Occupational Classification and includes almost 1,000 occupations. Searching the terms “acoustics,” “ocean acoustics,” and “ocean” yields few actionable results. This construct contributes to the lack of awareness of the field. Parents Parental influence is powerful and holds untapped potential for raising awareness of acoustics careers. Research has shown that parents influence their children’s science identity, courses selected in high-school, and career paths (Halim et al., 2018). Increasing parents’ awareness of ocean acoustics careers may increase their children’s awareness. Conclusion 5-5: Awareness of potential careers is imbued from multiple information streams. The expectation of teachers being solely responsible is unrealistic, so the ocean acoustics community needs to engage in more robust outreach through partnerships with existing programs that reach students, teachers, guidance counselors, and parents. Post-secondary Education Similar to challenges at the K–12 level, there is also a general lack of awareness and avenues to access information or research experiences related to ocean acoustics in higher education. This is concerning, as higher education is one of the primary feeders to the ocean acoustics workforce, but it also suggests ample opportunities and space for improvement. Chapter 3 delineates the landscape of ocean acoustics education in this sector, with Table 3-1 listing programs that either offer formal degrees or have an emphasis in ocean acoustics or related courses. Ocean acoustics and acoustics in general have a limited presence on most U.S. college campuses, in both the number of faculty members and courses. Therefore, students with STEM backgrounds and interests in most schools likely are not aware of the existence of ocean acoustics as a field and the diverse career paths it can offer. A strategy worth considering is creating teaching materials featuring ocean acoustics that can be easily incorporated into college STEM courses and recruiting and engaging faculty members in the design, testing, and evaluation of these materials. This could provide educators with resources and students with access in smaller schools where ocean acoustics is likely absent. A successful example of this approach is the Interdisciplinary Teaching about Earth for a Sustainable Future Program, run by the 3 See https://www.onetonline.org. Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 67 Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College (Gosselin et al., 2019), which facilitates collaboration between faculty in geoscience domains with educational specialists and evaluation experts at a diverse group of institutions (Kastens and Manduca 2017a,b). Other excellent examples include the Undergraduate Course Packages developed by the American Meteorological Society (AMS, n.d) and the diverse set of materials targeting different audiences and educational settings created by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research COMET program (UCAR, n.d). Community College Community college programs should also be considered in recruitment efforts. Although they do not directly offer ocean acoustics courses, some colleges have an A.S. in Marine Technology (see Table 5-2). These programs primarily serve to place graduates in positions as engine room technicians, deck technicians, and operations maintenance roles. However, courses offered commonly include oceanography, hydrographic survey techniques, environmental monitoring techniques, marine instrumentation, and other topics that may include acoustics content, or core knowledge could be leveraged as preparation for enrolling in ocean acoustics programs. These programs could also be targeted by undergraduate or graduate programs looking to recruit students into continuing education in ocean acoustics. TABLE 5-2 Associate of Science Marine Technology Degree Programs School Program focus College of the Florida Keys Marine engineering, mechanics, management and seamanship—no acoustics New England Institute of Technology Service of mechanical, electrical, electronic, and hydraulic systems—no acoustics Kingsborough College Oceanography, seamanship, navigation, marine electronics, marina operations, vessel repair Mass Maritime Academy Marine engineering, oceanography, environmental protection—possible acoustics content Cape Fear Community College Marine instrumentation, oceanography, hydrographic survey, data acquisition— possible acoustics content Prince William Sound College Service of mechanical, electrical, electronic systems—no acoustics SUNY Maritime College Engine-room- and deck-focused programs—no acoustics State Fair Community College Engine mechanics program Broward College Marine engine mechanics Skagit Valley College Marine maintenance Conclusion 5-6: Awareness of the need for ocean acousticians is bi-directional. Ocean acoustics programs should consider connections to tangential community college programs, and community college programs should consider including ocean acoustics components in existing marine technician programs. Communitywide Coordination There is a clear need for greater outreach to generate awareness of the discipline. The ocean acoustics community could learn from efforts to generate proactive steps by the community to raise the profile of the field and employment opportunities. A nationally coordinated effort of higher education Prepublication Copy 

68 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise institutions, informal STEM learning institutions, and industry could help to not only increase awareness of ocean acoustics and related careers but also build capacity for recruiting and training students at all levels, sharing educational resources, and prevent redundancy in outreach efforts. In the mid-1990s, concerns were growing within the ocean science community that recruitment and retention were hampered by a lack of awareness. Ocean science was not broadly taught in K–12 education or at the undergraduate level. In 1995, the Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI) held a meeting that brought ocean scientists and education professionals together to develop a set of recommendations for how awareness and recruitment could be improved. One of the top recommendations was to establish NOSB, which would engage high-school educators and students. Another was to develop and provide training for ocean scientists on how to conduct successful education and outreach activities and communicate effectively about their research. The 1995 JOI meeting influenced the mandates for NOPP when it began in 1997. A mandate for interagency ocean education programs launched several key programs, but the critical mass necessary to raise ocean education and outreach in the consciousness of ocean scientists—and beyond to the mainstream education community—had not yet been achieved. A new national initiative was needed to propel ocean sciences into the forefront of the national science education reform movement and allow it to be a cornerstone for improving national science education. With ocean science included in the emerging national science education standards, students would be exposed to its content and career paths before they reached college. As a result, NSF provided funding for a nationally coordinated effort to improve and promote ocean sciences and ocean science education for the benefit of society: the National Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) Network. This timely investment preceded the U. S. Commission on Ocean Policy, whose 2004 report stated that a nationally coordinated network for ocean sciences education was necessary. The primary goal of the COSEE Network was to integrate ocean sciences research and education through the “triadic” approach of involving scientists, educators, and outreach professionals. In 2011, a decadal review of the COSEE program provided substantial evidence that this approach had been catalytic and successful in engaging scientists and educators to transform ocean sciences education for all by • Bringing current scientific research into K–12 and public education, • Actively engaging scientists in the education process, • Bringing the nature of science to educators, • Presenting the ocean in an Earth system perspective, and • Engaging informal and formal education partners and public audiences in the ocean sciences. In an ocean education and outreach context, COSEE demonstrated substantial success in bringing the three critical elements of education, ocean sciences research, and learning sciences together in a local setting where investments are most effective and have the greatest leverage. Its success stems from multiagency participation having greater reach into the community of ocean expertise together with NSF’s access to the learning science community. Over the course of NSF’s COSEE funding (2002– 2017), over two thirds of U.S. ocean scientists received training through the National COSEE network in effective strategies for conducting education and outreach activities, communicating their research to non- experts, and crafting impactful broader impact activities. Tens of thousands of teachers received ocean science content training, had opportunities to work with ocean scientists, and received support to integrate ocean science into their teaching. COSEE also provided museum and aquarium partners with access to ocean scientists, who assisted with developing new exhibits and in their public education programs. Conclusion 5-7: The Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence model of a nationally coordinated effort that engaged multiple sectors could be employed by the ocean acoustics Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 69 community to raise the profile of the discipline, train scientists and education professionals, and provide opportunities for ocean-acoustics-related activities to be integrated into existing K–12 curriculum. Recommendation 5-2: Federal agencies should collaborate to create programs, including Centers of Excellence in Ocean Acoustics, at regional or national levels to raise the profile of the discipline, coordinate infrastructure and support to build capacity, maximize resources, and prevent redundancy to promote preparation of the next generation of the ocean acoustics workforce. Increased education and outreach opportunities are needed to generate awareness about ocean acoustics to improve the possibility of recruitment into the field. Advancements in bringing ocean research at sea to the public in real time through telepresence technology has been able to engage the public, teachers, and students and raise their awareness of ocean science careers. The Inner Space Center (ISC) at URI has provided access from ships in the U.S. research fleet to the public and K–16 classrooms for over the last decade. Telepresence systems have advanced rapidly from the requirement that the receiving end have assistance from a technologist who understood the system to being able to receive the “broadcast” on a computer or cell phone. Through ISC telepresence programming, ocean scientists have interacted with diverse audiences and promote an appreciation and understanding of the ocean. Evaluation of ISC’s programs have shown that telepresence is a useful and effective digital media interface for communicating ocean science content and raising understanding about ocean research (Scowcroft et al., 2015). It would be beneficial to the ocean acoustics community to take advantage of this technology to increase awareness of the field. In addition, increasing telepresence on ships would improve inclusivity for people unable to go to sea due to a disability, family care issues, etc. Conclusion 5-8: A variety of best practices or programs from other STEM fields can be used as a model to increase awareness of ocean acoustics, including • Providing training opportunities for the Ocean Acoustics community in outreach and science communication • Engaging students, educators, and the public through the use of shipboard telepresence technology could increase the awareness of ocean acoustics and related career opportunities. Career Recruitment In the survey conducted for this report, respondents were asked to provide feedback about recruiting students to higher education programs and jobs. A note of caution is that many respondents skipped survey questions or were unable to access the information within their organization, resulting in an uneven response rate. According to 38 respondents representing academia, the top reported challenges related to recruiting students into acoustics or supporting disciplines included difficulty recruiting those from out of state (28.9 percent), lack of flexibility in course offering (26.3 percent), and lack of financial aid (23.7 percent) (see Table 33, Appendix B). According to 17 respondents representing industry, most indicated that effective recruitment strategies included the organization’s networking at conferences (76.5 percent) and/or offering employment to interns/fellows (70.6 percent) (see Table 54, Appendix B). Six respondents specifically indicated that they use MTS/IEEE-OES OCEANS Conferences to recruit prospective employees. Over 70 percent of respondents (n = 12) shared a variety of “other” approaches, such as ASA (e.g., conferences, job postings), recruitment firms, and reaching out to select universities (see Table 55, Appendix B). In addition, 12 used their open-ended answers to describe various partnerships or strategies they are pursuing or plan to pursue, including partnering in academia or with universities, visiting or planning job fairs (at colleges), and collaborating with nonprofits. Prepublication Copy 

70 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise According to 24 respondents representing federal entities, the majority (79.2 percent) indicated that networking at conferences is the method used to recruit employees (see Table 77, Appendix B). Several noted they use MTS/IEEE-OES OCEANS and the ASA meetings (see Table 78, Appendix B). About half the respondents described in their open-ended answers various partnerships or strategies they are pursuing or plan to pursue, including academic institutional partnerships (i.e., collaborating with graduate programs) and hosting ocean acoustics conferences and DoD meetings (see Exhibit 22, Appendix B). However, there are other approaches to finding candidates, specifically diverse candidates. As noted in the gender section, attracting, and retaining diverse talent demands an inclusive culture. Organizations need to internally take stock and create an inclusive culture to enact change. Several informative resources are available regarding enacting change, including the consensus study report on Advancing Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEMM Organizations, which states that “without actively dismantling policies and practices that disadvantage people from minoritized groups, STEMM organizations stand to lose much needed talent and innovation as well as the ideas that come from having a diverse workforce” (NASEM, 2023). If an organization does not do the work needed to create an inclusive culture, efforts to recruit a diverse workforce will most likely result in a revolving door of such employees. Some actions to strive for parity in the recruitment and hiring process can include: • Conduct outreach to diverse organizations (MSIs, HBCUs, HSIs, professional societies, such as Blacks in Marine Science, National Society of Black Engineers, National Society of Black Physicists, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science); • Provide a statement of equality within the job description that reflects the core values of the organization; • Create inclusive job descriptions; • Do not solely rely on software to screen resumes, as algorithms can introduce bias; • Conduct blind resume reviews; • Create a structured interview process (same steps, same questions); • Use diverse panels throughout the interview process; and • Employ equitable compensation strategies. Recommendation 5-3: Employers of ocean acoustics professionals should use a range of recruitment methods beyond recruiting at professional society conferences. Focusing recruitment efforts only at professional society conferences limits the potential applicant pool due to the many barriers to attending these meetings, such as costs, time, and academic or family commitments. However, recruitment efforts should be increased during professional society meetings that focus on serving populations underrepresented in STEM. Participation in job fairs and outreach events at minority-serving institutions could also assist with recruitment efforts. Recruitment Opportunities from Governmental Entities USN The armed forces are the most integrated and diverse ocean acoustics sector and could immediately contribute to diversifying the civilian workforce. USN trains an ocean acoustics talent pool that could be extremely valuable to the ocean and blue economy enterprise. Recruiting officers into blue economy jobs upon leaving the military is straightforward, with employers recognizing relevant degrees and skills obtained during service. The pathways for enlisted personnel are not as clear. Despite Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 71 opportunities to access professional credentials and certifications or translate to credit hours for knowledge and skills (e.g., leadership, education, electronics), opportunities are limited to translate acoustics knowledge. This lack of credentialing or certification for acoustics knowledge limits separating and retiring enlisted sailors from easily transitioning into the ocean technology workforce. As mentioned in Chapter 3, a better bridge is needed for them. Tapping into this talent pool would quickly accelerate the number of available workers and help to diversify the workforce. Not only could enlisted personnel with acoustics expertise broaden the talent pool for ocean acoustics positions, but 41 percent of enlisted sailors (the highest in any military branch) are people of color, according to a 2019 DoD Demographics Report Profile of the Military Community. If the community could successfully build bridges to recruit separating and retiring USN veterans with ocean acoustics and marine technology experience, that would immediately diversify the talent pool. USCG Separating and retiring USCG personnel participate in the same transition programs as USN personnel and could also benefit from mechanisms to codify the ocean acoustics knowledge and skills gained while in service. NOAA The NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps operates ships that map the seafloor, monitor oceanographic and atmospheric conditions, and support fisheries research. It regularly recruits from the UNH, University of Southern Mississippi, University of South Florida (marine science/hydrography), University of Florida (geomatics), Purdue University (geomatics), University of Houston (geosensing), Oregon State University (geomatics), Penn State University (surveying/geomatics), The Ohio State University(geodetic), Oregon Institute of Technology (geomatics) and Idaho State University (geomatics/surveying). Like USN and USCG veterans, retiring NOAA Corps personnel could enter second careers applying their ocean acoustics knowledge, although the pool of candidates is relatively small. Opportunities in Higher Education Experiential Learning Programs Experiential learning is both learner and activity centered. Learners are immersed in an environment where they can reflect and apply their experience to real-world situations. Higher education at 2- or 4-year institutions is the critical stage when students learn the foundational knowledge in ocean acoustics and become interested in pursuing a degree and/or career as a researcher, practitioner, or technician. Given the small number of degree and course offerings, as detailed in Chapter 3 (see Table 3- 1), experiential programs may play a pivotal role in engaging and entraining undergraduate students in this field. Despite only a few experiential learning programs that focus on acoustics and related research activities for undergraduate students, the ASA SURIEA, highlighted in Chapter 3, stands out as one of the rare initiatives offering formal avenues for undergraduate students to engage in acoustics research beyond their immediate campuses. Additionally, the NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program4 occasionally provides projects, focusing on active acoustics as a survey tool for stock assessment or passive acoustics for detecting sound-producing animals, such as fish or whales. 4 See https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/hollings-scholarship. Prepublication Copy 

72 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise Despite the effectiveness and significant student engagement observed in these programs, the numbers remain limited. For instance, SURIEA supported an annual cohort of 9–15 interns between 2021 and 2023, and the Hollings Scholarship Program has aided over 120 students over 15 years. This shortage of opportunities highlights an area where a communitywide effort, akin to the coordinated initiatives led by COSEE, could play a vital role in establishing experiential programs in ocean acoustics. In addition, providing hands-on experience to interact with and collect data from diverse ocean acoustic instruments is often a challenge in these programs, as such resources and instruments are typically limited by the specific institutions or researchers in the programs. With proper coordination, these programs would not only engage diverse groups of students but also contribute to the growth and development of experts in this interdisciplinary field. Connection with Data Science The ocean acoustics field has a distinct opportunity to broaden its reach and enhance student recruitment by establishing a clear connection between acoustics and data science. Acoustic data are inherently “big” data. Ranging from the sheer volume of datasets to the nature of finely discretized waveform data, there are ample opportunities for people with data analysis skills within ocean acoustics. Furthermore, ocean acoustic modeling frequently involves handling interactions between sound and complex objects within dynamic environments in real-world scenarios, which requires significant computational resources. These unique demands and characteristics naturally drive research toward a convergence with contemporary data science approaches, including ML techniques and distributed, scalable computing resources. The ocean acoustics community can leverage this connection as a compelling recruitment tool by helping students realize not only the rich and diverse subjects in this field but also the highly transferable skills they can gain as part of the education. Should students choose to pursue careers in other STEM domains, their training and expertise will catalyze greater awareness and recognition of the field of ocean acoustics within society. Connection with Climate Science and Biological Sciences Recruitment opportunities can also be significantly enhanced by establishing the connections between ocean acoustics and high-impact scientific disciplines, such as climate science. Ocean acoustics techniques are pivotal in monitoring a wide range of oceanographic phenomena. Prominent examples include using acoustic technologies to measure ocean currents, track ocean temperature changes, detect and monitor large whales in critical habitats, and assess the distribution and population dynamics of animals across expansive spatial and temporal scales. These applications are intimately linked to our ability to monitor and respond to the profound impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems, on which a substantial portion of society depends. These direct and relatable entry points serve as ideal ways to pique students’ interest in ocean acoustics, paving the way for further engagement and education. Furthermore, the survey for this report revealed a strong demand for marine bioacoustics expertise across both private and public sectors. Proficiency in this subdomain requires interdisciplinary knowledge encompassing the physics of ocean sound, quantitative analytical skills, and a deep understanding of biological subjects. This unique combination of requirements opens a distinct avenue for broadening the recruitment of ocean acoustics to students majoring in biological sciences, potentially contributing to diversifying the workforce to meet long-term societal needs. Conclusion 5-9: Raising awareness of the variety of career paths and jobs relating to ocean acoustics along with increasing the understanding of how many of these are connected to community needs will better engage society and reduce the perception that ocean acoustics is an overly specialized field. Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 73 RETENTION OF STUDENTS, EARLY-CAREER PROFESSIONALS, AND EXISTING WORKFORCE Retention of Students Retention or persistence in STEM undergraduate majors is a challenge for all disciplines, including physics, engineering, and acoustics. STEM retention was considered a national crisis when the 2012 report of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in Science and Technology, was released. It called for improved undergraduate STEM education and stressed that at least 10 percent of those leaving STEM majors would need to be retained if U.S. workforce needs were to be met; the United States still has fewer trained workers than it needs (NSB, 2018). Entry-level STEM courses and student experiences in these courses can affect whether a student continues with a STEM major (Meaders et al. 2020). By the end of fourth year, approximately 40–50 percent (varying by discipline) of the students who intend to complete a STEM degree have not done so (Seymour et al., 2019). For example, the prerequisite requiring student to take consecutive calculus courses in the first/second year for almost all STEM majors has been found to hasten the loss of female STEM majors. Ellis et al. (2016) proposed that if women could be retained after taking these two courses at the same rate as men, the number of women entering the STEM workforce could increase by 75 percent and bring an additional 20 percent of new graduates across all STEM fields into the workforce. Although women now constitute 57 percent of all bachelor’s degrees, they make up only 40 percent of those in the physical sciences, 22 percent in engineering, and 20 percent in computer science. (NCES, 2018b, Tables 322.30). Seymour et al. (2019) identified three types of decisions that cause undergraduate students to leave STEM majors: 1) problems that made it difficult for them to persist (push factors), 2) attractions or advantages that they perceived in other career paths (pull factors), and 3) considerations that made them see their STEM major as less feasible. Of the 23 factors that the researchers found, most were push, but no student had only a single reason for abandoning the STEM major. They also found that leaving the career path was due not to students’ academic inadequacies but mainly “problems with course design, the poor quality of teaching, negative classroom culture, and difficulties in securing help with academic difficulties” (Seymour et al., 2019). Problems with instruction were the highest concern (90 percent). Jelks and Crain (2020) found that undergraduate research experiences are associated with a greater likelihood of STEM career entry and retention. Physics courses are necessary undergraduate preparation for students who may wish to pursue a graduate course of study related to ocean acoustics or a career path related to many marine technologies (e.g., robotics, sensors, oceanographic instrumentation). Despite the crucial role that physics plays in advanced STEM degrees and technological careers and advancements, students develop misconceptions about it while in high school (Achor et al. 2022). Most high-school students do not see the connections between physics and the wide variety of career paths to which the discipline may lead. For students who make it into an undergraduate physics program, retention is a problem. Societal stereotypes and biases about who belongs and can succeed in physics often lead women to have lower motivational beliefs about physics than men (Li and Singh, 2021). Despite the obstacles, physics courses with hands-on laboratories provide opportunities to experiment. Wilcox and Lewandowski (2018) found that these courses can be a gateway for recruiting and retaining physics majors because of their experimental nature. More opportunities for first- and second-year students to be engaged in hands-on physics experiments could also improve retention in the major. The same can be said for students in entry-level engineering classes; a primary factor in undergraduate retention in the major is the student’s sense of developing an engineering identity, their set of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behavioral norms that are important in becoming an engineer. Hughes et al. (2019) investigated the engineering identity in undergraduate students from beginning to end to determine if it had a connection to retention in engineering majors at graduation. Only about 40 percent of Prepublication Copy 

74 Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise first-year majors graduate with an engineering degree (Lichtenstein et al. 2009). Researchers found that developing an engineering identity preceded persistence in the discipline and was an important factor in the success of URMs (Hughes et al., 2019). This study also identified factors that led to retention, including internships, and studying with peers, which helped students to develop a sense of belonging within their engineering program and increase their engineering identity. In 2023, the NCSES Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities report stated that “women are underrepresented in physical and earth sciences, especially physics. The difference is greatest at the bachelor’s level: women about a quarter (24 percent) of physics degrees. Despite modest gains in the proportion of physics degrees earned by women over the past decade, physics remains a key field where women are significantly underrepresented among postsecondary degree recipients.” Improving instruction and fostering positive interactions between students and faculty have also been found to be critical components of STEM retention, as are research experiences and effective mentorship (Park et al., 2020). Students of color often have less access to positive relationships with faculty members because of racism and discrimination within STEM disciplines, leading students to either leave their major or fail to graduate (Dortch and Patel, 2017). Given this reality, universities need to provide training for STEM faculty in how to foster positive interactions with female and URM students and develop departmental interventions to support these students through graduation. Many STEM Ph.D. programs prepare their students for careers in academia rather than industry. It is estimated that STEM professionals in industry will constitute 13 percent of the U.S. workforce in 2027, yet the nation has 2 million unfilled STEM- jobs across all education levels (Martinez-Orengo et al., 2021). With workforce demands growing, non-academic organizations and businesses must provide on-the-job training for their new employees. Retention in the Workforce Attrition in other dimensions is also influenced by contextual challenges associated with the ocean acoustics fields. The field’s evolution within higher education institutions (see Chapters 2 and 3), and its designation as a NNR, has led to many soft-money positions, for which researchers are funded primarily by research grants on a project-by-project basis. The absence of a robust “safety net,” combined with the time and energy demands to launch an independent research program and typically lower wages compared to industry positions, is a formidable barrier for early-career researchers in the academic workforce. This creates obstacles to broadening recruitment (Kim and Moser 2021). Additionally, the proliferation of consumer electronics (such as personal assistants, such as Alexa, or noise-canceling headphones) that contain real-time digital signal processing or microphone arrays require a workforce with skills related to acoustics or ocean acoustics, such as advanced signal processing. Tech companies often pay higher wages and can attract potential ocean acousticians away from research, defense contractor, or USN lab positions. With respect to industry, the retention of STEM workforce members is a critical issue as the need continues to grow. Data from the Educational Longitudinal Survey of 2002 revealed that less than 75 percent of STEM graduates remained in a STEM-related career by age 30. Providing employees clear growth and professional development opportunities is key to improving retention. Professional development can expand the knowledge and skills of the existing workforce. Many people entering ocean acoustics related careers need to learn on the job; as this study’s survey showed, few institutions offer degrees in ocean acoustics. Workplaces can encourage employees to engage in a variety of professional development programs, such as encouraging them to take courses through tuition reimbursement upon successful course completion; earn stackable microcredentials; or attend professional society meetings and conferences and offering internal company training (see Chapter 3). Many businesses also offer internal professional development programs or academies. For example, Fugro Academy (n.d.) provides practical and theoretical training and development solutions (leadership, business, and technical training) to its Prepublication Copy 

Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining a Diverse Workforce 75 global workforce. It allows employees to gain new skills and move into a variety of roles within the company, leading to employee retention. Regulatory and permitting agencies involved with the anthropogenic use of sound underwater must have staff with content knowledge in ocean acoustics. Often, this knowledge must span the disciplines of bioacoustics, acoustic modeling, or signal processing. To assist with the need for on-the-job training, the DOSITS project has been providing targeting training for the regulatory community since 2015 through its annual professional development webinar series5 (DOSITS, 2023). Conclusion 5-10: Employers’ encouragement of professional development opportunities for their employees is an important component of retention and development of acoustic talent on the job, especially in the context of expanding and retaining diversity. SUMMARY The pressing need is evident for broadening and enhancing efforts to attract, recruit, retain, and diversify the workforce in ocean acoustics. One of the primary challenges is the general lack of awareness of ocean acoustics research, its real-world applications, and the array of career paths it offers across all levels of education. Community-wide, coordinated efforts to address specifically recruitment at the undergraduate level and retention of students in formal education programs, as well as professionals in careers as educators, researchers, or practitioners, are critical for building a robust and diverse workforce that meets the needs of the nation. 5 See https://dosits.org/decision-makers/webinar-series. Prepublication Copy