As we enter the second year of our NSF grant, new opportunities and challenges are coming our way. With the logistics of regular SIO field trips and student assessments established, the focus is now on both deepening the science and disseminating the CURE model. With the latter, we have been juggling multiple hats from getting our new website up and running (thank you Rachel) to making our educational modules more organized. Last weekend’s SABER West provided lots of feedback and ideas regarding the expansion of the CURE to other classes, as well as strengthening relationships with local institutions.
At National University we have been lucky for several years now to have mini-grants for both faculty and students to do small undergraduate research projects. Three of the latest round of applicants came from the November field trip! Which, while “anecdotal data,” still shows how the experience of research applied to relevant issues can attract students to STEM.
Next field trip will be Saturday, February 22, 2020. Educators who are curious about this project feel free to contact us and participate!
