RET Site: Wood to Wheels - Research Experiences for High School Teachers in Sustainable Transportation Technologies

该奖项为密歇根理工大学（MTU）工程现场的教师研究经验（RET）项目提供了为期三年的资助，该项目名为“RET现场：从木材到车轮”——高中教师可持续交通技术的研究经验，由David R. Shonnard博士指导。该项目旨在为21名高中教师（每年7名）提供为期6周的暑期深入多学科研究经验和同步课程开发活动，这些教师将在为期3年的“从木材到车轮”（W2W）的森林生物燃料运输企业工作。开发国内可再生能源替代进口化石燃料已被许多政府机构和科学机构确定为一项重大挑战。利用可再生森林资源生产新的液体运输燃料可以实现许多可持续性目标；包括减少温室气体排放、能源和粮食安全、创造国内和农村就业机会以及改善贸易平衡。实现这些可持续能源目标所需的研究和开发将依赖于未来多样化的工程师和科学家的供应，这些工程师和科学家在技术专业知识和对可归类为“可持续性”术语的更广泛问题的理解方面取得平衡。该网站将提高教师对森林生物燃料生命周期的可持续性素养和技术知识水平。教师研究导师也将对高中水平的STEM教育问题有更深入的了解，合作课程/实验室教学单元将改善教师和教师对工程概念、方法和实践的教学。w2wret将导致中学课堂教学的变化，并将导致高中生的参与，他们有更好的准备，并有追求以可持续发展为导向的STEM教育的愿景。

This award provides funding for a three-year continuing award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering Site program at Michigan Technological University (MTU) entitled, "RET Site: "Wood-to-Wheels"-Research Experiences for High School Teachers in Sustainable Transportation Technologies, under the direction of Dr. David R. Shonnard. The goal of this RET in Engineering Site is to provide six-week summer, in-depth, multidisciplinary research experiences and concurrent curriculum development activities for 21 high school teachers (7 per year) over a three year period in a "Wood-to-Wheels" (W2W) forest-based biofuels transportation enterprise. The development of domestic renewable energy alternatives to replace imported fossil fuels has been identified as a grand challenge by many government agencies and scientific institutions. The production of new liquid transportation fuels derived from renewable forest resources can achieve many sustainability objectives; including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, energy and food security, domestic as well as rural job creation, and improved balance of trade. The research and development needed to achieve these sustainable energy goals will rely on a future supply of diverse engineers and scientists with a balance of technical expertise and an understanding of the broader issues that may be categorized under the term of "sustainability". This RET Site will increase the level of teachers' sustainability literacy and technical knowledge of the forest-based biofules life cycle. The faculty research mentors will also gain a deeper understanding of STEM education issues at the high school level and the collaborative course/laboratory teaching units will lead to improved teaching of engineering concepts, methods, and practices for both the teachers and faculty alike. The W2W RET will result in changes in secondary school classroom teaching and will lead to enhanced engagement of high school students who are better prepared and have the vision to pursue sustainability-oriented STEM education.