NASA Airborne Research Experience for Educators (AREE)

NASA Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) Flight Campaign

NASA Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) Flight Campaign

This opportunity has been closed...

Audience: K-12 Educators

Application Deadline: n/a

In support of increasing educators' confidence in delivering Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) content within formal or informal learning environments, NASA’s Earth Science Project Office and Armstrong Flight Research Center’s Office of Education are recruiting up to 24 STEM teachers, to participate in the Airborne Research Experience for Educators (AREE) workshop, a  five-day research-based experience from July 28 – August 1, 2014, at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, Calif. This opportunity is being made available to kindergarten-through-12th grade teachers in formal classroom settings in public or private schools or in informal settings such as museums, science  centers etc.  

Through interactions with NASA-unique content, facilities, and personnel, the workshop will focus on three education goals through a variety of interfaces, including  virtual, in-person and self-directed coursework:

  1. Engage in NASA’s unique, airborne research-based missions
  2. Increase core scientific and research knowledge base
  3. Generate NASA mission-based STEM resources and teaching materials

The AREE project stimulates interest in NASA's Earth science and flight research and, with the help of educators, supports recruitment of the agency's future engineers and scientists. The goal is to anchor educators in a community of scientific practice to observe what it means to be a scientist and an engineer and to increase their understanding of science and mathematics. Experiences are translated into classroom practice through the implementation of thematic curriculum modules.

The experience combines a unique research-based opportunity with high-quality NASA content-based curricula based on an aircraft, a data collection instrument and a research investigation. This summer will focus on two NASA Global Hawk Earth science missions:

  1. Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3), an investigation of how tropical storms form and develop into hurricanes.
  2. Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX), a study of atmospheric compound concentrations and their impact on the Earth’s climate and energy budget.

To increase core scientific knowledge, educators will attend technical seminars from scientists and engineers, and observe how NASA conducts cutting-edge aeronautical and airborne science research at the Armstrong Flight Research Center at  Edwards, Calif., and at the center's Bldg. 703, a science and aircraft integration facility in Palmdale,  Calif.. Technical content may include subject matter in natural events (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes and hurricanes), climate, remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry and other relevant subjects. Educators will learn to develop computational and critical thinking skills through an introduction to computer programming utilizing the Arduino microcontroller, and attend pedagogic workshops that focus on engineering design, inquiry-based instruction, and integration of technology and data-focused curricula into the classroom.

Participant observations and experiences from the project are translated into classroom practice through the use of NASA content-based STEM resources, and development of a post-workshop STEM action plan. The objectives of the curricula are to increase students’ content understanding in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, and interest in STEM careers.

To be eligible, persons must be a:

  • U.S. citizen
  • Formal or informal educator, grades K-12
  • Specialize in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or language arts

Educators who serve underserved / underrepresented student populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Interested persons should apply by:

  1. Completing a brief registration form at http://aeroi.org/intentform/index.html

  2. Submitting via email a resume or curriculum vitae to [email protected]; email subject line: AREE [last name]

This opportunity will remain open until filled.

If selected, educators are expected to:

  • Participate in pre-workshop preparatory activities/assignments
  • Attend the  five-day residential workshop
  • Attend, in-person or via virtual link, up to five  post-workshop team meetings
  • Provide evaluation and metric data
  • Implement post-STEM action plan
  • Maintain good standing in the local education community
  • Serve as ambassadors for NASA Education
  • Contribute to development of the nation’s future STEM workforce

Participants will be provided double-occupancy lodging and a $400 stipend to be paid via direct deposit. Travel reimbursement is available based on mileage from home to workshop location; criteria are as follows:

  • Up to $300 if less than 400 miles
  • Up to $600 if equal to or more than 400 miles

Resource materials including educator guides, materials / supplies, and an Arduino microcontroller kit will be provided at the workshop. Participants are encouraged to bring personal laptop computers.

The opportunity to earn one university credit from California State University, Bakersfield, at no cost will be available upon successful completion of AREE program requirements. Transcripts will be available upon request.

For additional information about the AREE project, refer to the NASA website at:

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/teachingfromspace/home/arees/about.html#.U8a6N_ldXGJ

To learn more about the HS3 flight campaign, refer to:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/missions/hs3/index.html

To learn more about the ATTREX flight campaign, refer to:

http://espo.nasa.gov/missions/attrex/content/ATTREX