PFI:Transforming the Tri-State Philadelphia Region A Partnership for Innovation in Science and Technology Education

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This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project will develop a partnership between academic, government, and corporate partners. The goal is to provide the infrastructure, access to equipment, curriculum development, teacher training, educational content, and diverse science-based experiences necessary to inspire a sustained interest in science and technology in students and teachers. The partnership will implement a three dimensional approach to achieve these goals that includes vertical integration across education levels, broad geographic implementation across the region, and the application of complementary programs designed to improve classroom instruction, spark student interest, and spur exploration. The range of student classes is from the Middle School to post-High School levels. It is understood that most middle school and high school students do not have access even to rudimentary experimental tools and materials. This project will supply an assembled kit of suitable objects to permit students to do simple but thought provoking experiments. Since sophisticated equipment is unlikely to be available to any students except those enrolled at a major research institution, the plan is to provide tele-experimentation to allow students an actual manipulative experience with sophisticated equipment through an on-line connection.The project addresses a need in regional technology companies for more technically-skilled workers as well as the broader question of science and technology education. The three-state region surrounding Philadelphia (Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) is home to leading corporations in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and materials industries. These corporations face a continuing challenge in finding the technically-skilled workers at all levels of education that they need to remain competitive. Although high-quality technical education options exist within the leading four-year research institutions; at the Associate Degree and post-secondary certification level, there is a critical gap in educational offerings in advanced technology. The solution begins at the Middle School level, where studies have shown that students might be lost to a science and technology career path. The programs of the partnership are focused around nanotechnology because the interdisciplinary nature of the subject provides an entry into important educational topics in biology, chemistry, physics, and derivative fields. In addition, the subject captures the attention of today's youth.Partners include Immaculata University (lead institution), University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University; Burlington County College (NJ), Chester County Intermediate Unit (NJ), Del Tech (DE), and Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (PA); Barra Foundation, SAIC, Outreach Providers are as follows: Cephalon, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Merck, LifeSensors, Nanoselect, Unisys Corporation, Neose Technologies, and Endo Pharmaceuticals.