News
August 18, 2008
Nine Iowa science educators RAISE the bar in science research teaching
As members of RAISE, Research Avenues for Iowa Science Educators, nine Iowa science teachers completed six weeks of summer research at the University of Northern Iowa and presented their findings Friday, Aug. 1, at a poster session.
While 44 students also participated in summer undergraduate research and the poster session, the RAISE program knows it is necessary to involve current educators in genuine hands-on experiments. "Such a project is needed because in the traditional way colleges prepare science teachers, they aren't exposed to cutting-edge science," said Jeff Weld, UNI associate professor of biology and director of the Iowa Math and Science Education Partnership.
The research interests of the nine Iowa teachers (eight high school and one middle school) are matched up with the research projects of UNI faculty researchers. The projects ranged from investigating short tethers in dye-sensitized solar cells to using geospatial technology to validate a soil prediction model.
According to Weld, teachers who have participated in summer research are "more committed to creating more authentic science experiences for their own students, more inclined to emphasize the processes of science, and command a deeper understanding of cutting edge science of their fields so that they can teach a more modern curriculum to their own students."
The University of Northern Iowa is leading a $4 million Iowa Mathematics & Science Education Partnership to improve Iowa math and science education and collaboration, and to increase the number of math and science teachers in Iowa. For more information, visit www.iowamathscience.org.
| Teacher | School | Project Title |
|---|---|---|
| Kathy Schultz | Xavier Middle School | The Effect of Mowing on Abundance and Persistence of Tallgrass Prairie Forbs Seeded into an Established Stand of Grasses after Ten Years |
| Ryan Lensing | Dowling High School | The Effect of Mowing on Abundance and Persistence of Tallgrass Prairie Forbs Seeded into an Established Stand of Grasses after Ten Years |
| Erica Larson | Sentral of Fenton | Discovery of Spin Glass in Low Temperature, Two-Dimensional Manganese Intercalated TiS2 |
| Marc Benedict | Graettinger-Terril High School | Geochemistry and Orientation of Lamprophyre Dikes, Chico Sill Complex, Northeast New Mexico |
| Bernie Hermanson | Harlan High School | Investigating Short Tethers in Dye-sensitized Solar Cells |
| Steven Meeker | Linn-Mar High School | Understanding Targeted Gene Deletion of MAP Kinase Genes in Fusarium verticillioides |
| Molly Pisarik | Monticello High School | Understanding Targeted Gene Deletion of MAP Kinase Genes in Fusarium verticillioides |
| Hannah Haarhuis-Casey | Riverside High School | Using Geospatial Technologies to Analyze the Occurrence of Ash Tree Species within Cedar Falls, Iowa and to Predict the Potential Impact of Emerald Ash Borer Infestation |
| Bruce Dykstra | Ventura High School | Using Geospacial Technology to Validate a Soil Prediction Model |
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