2021 - 2024

The goal of the Authentic Research Experience for Teachers at Long Term Ecological Research sites (ARETs@LTERs) project is to engage high school teachers who work with students from marginalized groups in the practice, process, and communication of data-intensive STEM. In this project, teachers work in partnership with scientists to explore how emerging stressors such as drought, marine heatwaves, and global warming impact communities and biodiversity across ecosystems. Four teachers are stationed at each of three LTER sites spanning critical habitat types: the arctic tundra (Arctic LTER), temperate montane forests (Andrews LTER), and marine coastal ecosystems (Santa Barbara Coastal LTER), forming a cohort of 12 teachers in year 1, joined by another 12 teachers in year 2.

Teachers spend up to four weeks embedded in field and lab research during the first summer, followed by virtual collaboration with other teachers to develop and pilot authentic science learning activities with their students, followed by two weeks of field research in the second summer. A capstone in-person experience at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) Center will help teachers build data skills and develop a cross-LTER site data product.

Partner Institutions:

• OSU Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Dr. Ivan Arismendi
• LTER Network Office
• UC-Santa Barbara
• Marquette University
• Arctic LTER program
• Dataspire Education & Evaluation, LLC

Center Team: