TALPA: Technology Applications and Learning for Professional Achievement

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0332690SchroederThis award is to University of Alaska Anchorage to support the activity described below for 36 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF-03521).PartnersThe partners include University of Alaska Anchorage (Lead Institution), University of Hawaii Manoa, University of Washington, Alaska Technical Center, Halau Ku Mana High School, Kotzebue High School, Mt. Edgecumbe High School, Northwest Arctic Borough School District, Wellpinit High School, White Swan High School, Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Yakama Nation, Hewlett-Packard, NANA/Colt Engineering, NANA/Dowl Engineering, Siemens Building Technologies, and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.This project seeks to connect remote regions of Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington to college curriculum in mathematics and science via modern state-of-the-art computer laboratories and distance learning and to maintain a program at the University of Alaska-Anchorage, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, University of Washington, and University of Hawaii to foster and retain the students in science and engineering curricula. The team of educators, Native organizations, engineering firms, contractors and research laboratories is working to provide opportunities for Indigenous Americans to put young people on career paths to leadership in industry and academia. The program is a pipeline for students from rural communities to universities and industry partners ready to hire them upon graduation. The program will engage 325 students in five years. The partners have committed approximately $5 million through 2006 to support the activity. This program can be replicated for other regions and indigenous societies in America.Potential Economic ImpactThe intellectual merit of the activity lies in establishment of state-of-the-art computer laboratories in very remote locations, working with local indigenous high school systems to establish the science and mathematics curriculum to prepare the students for college, training the local teachers to use the computer systems and tutor the students, and collaborating with industrial partners who provide equipment, scholarships and job opportunities for the students when they graduate from college.The program brings computer technology to remote communities, provides high school students with a vision of a career in science and engineering, connects students with professionals in industry and academia, provides industrial partners with a technologically trained workforce, and develops the enabling infrastructure necessary to sustain the effort long term.