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Topic: Education
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Teaching LTER in cyberscape: New college course links investigators and students

“From Yardstick to Gyroscope” a novel approach to interdisciplinary teaching and learning
 

Grads share their research at MCM annual meeting

Graduate students from the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MCM) LTER capped off their list of accomplishments with presentations at the annual MCM-LTER science meeting in Boulder, Colorado August 29-31.
 

SEEDS Program grows with LTER

When President George W. Bush recently named the Ecological Society of America (ESA) one of the recipients of the 2006 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), ESA’s Strategies for Ecology Education, Development, and Sustainability (SEEDS) was recognized as being instrumental in winning the presidential award. “We view the ESA SEEDS Program as the jewel in our crown,” said ESA President Norman Christensen. “It is truly one of the initiatives of which we are most proud and today’s award underscores its tremendous value.”
 

FCE’s RESSt program gives students chance to shine

The Florica Coastal Everglades’ (FCE) novel Research Experience for Secondary Students (RESSt) program, which pairs high school students in research internships with FCE scientists, is proving quite a hit with Florida students and scientists alike. In 2005 FCE’s first intern, Juan Gallo, worked with Greg Juzli and placed first out of 852 students in the State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida, winning over $17,000 in prizes and scholarships in the process. Since then REESt has grown rapidly and currently includes 10 high school students working with FCE scientists.
 

GK-12 graduate student fellowships at Kellogg Biological Station

The Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) has recently joined the ranks of other LTER sites (notably CAP, JRN, NTL, SEV, and SGS) with successful GK-12 Graduate Fellowship Programs funded by the National Science Foundation. The 3-year award provides funding and training for KBS graduate students and allows for the continuation of the KBS K-12 Partnership for Science Literacy that began in 1999 with Schoolyard LTER funding. Through the GK-12 grant, eight GK-12 fellows are paired with eight participating school districts. The fellows spend 10-15 hours per week in partner teachers’ classrooms observing, co-teaching, and developing classroom lessons and schoolyard ecology projects. Graduate fellows provide teachers additional resources to enrich the K-12 science curriculum while improving their own teaching abilities.
 

Update on Graduate Student work in the LTER Network

In December 2006, Chelsea Crenshaw (SEV) completed her 2-year tenure as a LTER graduate student co-chair and John Kominoski (CWT) was elected to replace her. During her tenure, Chelsea helped organize the First LTER Collaborative Graduate Student Symposium (held in April 2005 at AND). She also co-chaired a second student symposium with Amy Burgin (KBS) at the September 2006 All-Scientists Meeting (ASM) at Estes Park, CO. We thank Chelsea for the hard work, dedication, and energy she put in promoting the graduate student community.
 

SBC LTER launches Watershed Education program with partners

 

'The Lost Seal' a big hit

 

Binoculars, bats and benefits of Community Service Learning: Valley View Science Club visits Rio Salado

The 30 middle school students from Valley View’s after school Science Club anxiously file off the bus at Rio Salado, Phoenix’s recently restored riparian habitat. Two Phoenix park rangers are waiting to meet the children before they walk through the park, but getting them to quiet down to listen to the rangers is a challenging task. Aged between eight and 11 years, the children are quick to ask questions and, as the rangers pass out binoculars for them to use, they begin to ask about what they might see in the park. The rangers patiently answer their questions and remind them of the park rules, such as staying on the trails so they don’t damage the plant life, and picking up trash after them and putting it in the trash bins that the science club from the previous year painted and donated as their community project. Once their curiosities are satisfied, the children are ready to get started on the park trail.
 

SGS Schoolyard LTER student partners win awards at science fair

 
 
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