Welcome to this reimagined #cureplastics website! What started as a science education project website is currently transitioning to a science education blog and, hopefully, a hub of connections and interactions.

This project started in 2018 and was funded by a National Science Foundation grant. Its purpose was to use Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) to involve students in an authentic research project. The project brought together a team from the Scripps Institution for Oceanography and National University educators.

Through our course modules, students interact with scientific researchers and facilities to engage in field work and laboratory techniques. Students become part of our research team to help us answer this question:

What kind of microbes attach to plastic in coastal waters?

The research question for the educators was: How does a CURE addressing a relevant scientific and societal issue such as plastic pollution influence student engagement and learning?

The project navigated many challenges, particularly the Covid-19 pandemic, during which we had to transition to a virtual field trip modality. You can follow the process through our News page.

Watch a video documenting one of our field trips here!

You can read the official grant documentation here:

Here is a published article regarding our education results:

The approach as published in CURENet: