RET SITE: Sustainable Energy, Water and Manufacturing

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides funding for a 3 year continuing award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering Site program at the University of Arizona (UA) entitled, "RET Site: Sustainable Energy, Water and Manufacturing," under the direction of Dr. Kimberly Ogden. This program is a renewal of a successful RET Site. A total of 51 K-12 teachers (17 per year for three years) will be recruited from local area school districts and will participate in a research experience with teams of university researchers and industrial mentors. Research topics will include investigating process constraints for new materials under consideration for use in semiconductor processing to reduce environmental impacts; water quality, recycle and reuse; and alternative energy. A multi-faceted approach will ensure that there is significant follow-through and more lasting interactions between the teachers, UA researchers and industrial mentors. During the summer the teachers will be actively involved in research and participate in professional development workshops focusing on sustainability, notebooking inquiry learning, differentiated learning, and standards, and development of new lesson plans. During the academic year pre-service teachers will aid teachers with classroom implementation of their lesson plans. The broader impact of this project is that it will serve as a model for other industrial, university, and K-12 teams to enrich student learning. Teachers will gain first hand knowledge of how technology is developed, how it impacts the community, and how interdisciplinary teams are required to solve complex problems to ensure a sustainable lifestyle.