The objectives of the Education Program are to:

1) enhance curriculum and educational capacities at partner institutions in NOAA-relevant disciplines by providing high quality education and research experiences to students through various measurement strategies;

2) provide a pipeline for the production of minority scientists and teachers of the future by direct interactions with K-12 students and by enhancing the quality of teacher education programs; and

3) establish a post-doctoral program to solidify ECSC interactions with NOAA scientists.

The FAMU ECSC high school Brain Bowl Team.

Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs:

ECSC will continue with its successes in recruiting underrepresented minorities into NOAA-related disciplines. To ensure that ECSC undergraduate fellows have the appropriate background to succeed in avocations as well as graduate and professional schools, a collection of eligible degree programs has been identified at all partner institutions. These programs will be assessed to ensure that learning outcomes remain consistent with ECSC’s education mission. Undergraduate scholars will be recruited at all levels with particular emphasis on students at the sophomore level and beyond who have made firm commitments to their academic majors. Selection criteria will include academic promise, statements of interest, and career goals. In addition to enrollment in specific courses of study, ECSC scholars will be required to participate in a NOAA orientation program, seminar series, and research activities of the Center and NOAA. Students will be encouraged to apply for NOAA-based internship programs such as the Ernest Hollings Scholarship Program and the EPP’s undergraduate internship program.

Graduate fellows will be recruited into specific degree programs from ECSC institutions and other institutions that have quality environmental science and policy programs. ECSC’s post-secondary Ocean Science Concept-driven Interactive (OSCI) teaching model designed for a typical post-secondary education (http://www.famu.edu/acad/colleges/esi/OSCI/) will be used across partners schools.
   

All graduate student research will be explicitly linked to the Center’s Thematic Areas, and each student’s research advisory committee will include a NOAA or NERR scientist. Graduate fellows will be required to participate in a NOAA orientation program, serve as mentors to undergraduate and K-12 participants, and will be encouraged to compete for NOAA-specific fellowship programs including EPP’s Graduate Scientist Program, NERRs Fellowship Program, Coral Reef Management Fellowship, John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, and the Nancy Foster Scholarship Program. ECSC Fellows will be expected to present their work at least one NOAA-related conference and publish in refereed scientific journals.

FAMU ECSC undergraduate research assistants get hands on training in the ESI labs.

K-12 Program:

The K-12 program is designed to facilitate awareness/literacy of NOAA-related sciences by students and teachers as specified in NOAA’s 2004 Education Plan, improve technical competencies of students and teachers, increase recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented populations into NOAA-related disciplines at post-secondary institutions, and establish long-term partnerships beyond the proposed cooperative agreement. ECSC will continue hosting high school summer camps for students and teachers at specified partner institutions. In some instances teachers will receive continuing education credits. All summer camp programs and learning outcomes will be determined by the EAG to ensure linkage to the Thematic Areas and will include modules that acquaint participants to NOAA’s mission and strategic goals. The camps will be conducted by ECSC staff, undergraduate/graduates students, post-doctoral fellows, and PIs. Field activities will be conducted at NERR and other ecological sites. Selection criteria will include academic potential, career interests, and teacher recommendations. At FAMU some summer camp participants will be selected to form competitive National Ocean Science Bowl teams as has been done for the past three years. ECSC will also work with the NERRs to utilize and enhance their K-12 programs, especially through the Coastal Training Program and Education coordinators ECSC will enhance activities directed to K-12 students by augmenting teacher preparation programs in the Colleges of Education at member institutions. FAMU is one of 11 institutions in the nation selected by the Carnegie Corporation to participate in a teacher education reform initiative, Teachers for a New Era (TNE). Future teachers in specific secondary education programs including the NOAA-related areas of biology, chemistry, and math are being enhanced through coursework alignment with professional standards, clinical experiences, research, and professional development. Additionally, ECSC will build on the Teaching Environmental Sciences program at TAMU-CC, a highly successful program focused on local school teachers to enhance their skills in teaching environmental sciences.  

The Morgan State University Eco Clues Summer camp, is a fascinating K-12 summer program sponsored by ECSC

Post-Doctoral Program:

The ECSC’s post-doctoral program is considered an extension of the education program that aids in maintaining bridges between the Center’s research in the Thematic Areas and selected NOAA scientists. Two post-doctoral fellows will be employed by the Center in this capacity.