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

该奖项为一项为期三年的持续奖励提供资金，以支持密歇根理工大学(MTU)的工程现场教师研究经验(RET)项目，该项目名为“RET现场：”木材到车轮“--可持续交通技术高中教师的研究经验，由David R.Shonnard博士指导。这个RET in Engineering网站的目标是为21名高中教师(每年7名)提供为期六周的暑期深入多学科研究体验和并行课程开发活动，为期三年，在“木材到车轮”(W2W)森林生物燃料运输企业工作。许多政府机构和科学机构认为，开发国产可再生能源替代品以取代进口化石燃料是一项重大挑战。利用可再生森林资源生产新型液体运输燃料可以实现许多可持续发展目标，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，将有赖于未来提供不同的工程师和科学家，他们既有技术专长，又对可能被归类为“可持续性”的更广泛问题有所了解。该RET网站将提高教师对森林生物燃料生命周期的可持续性、识字和技术知识的水平。教师研究导师还将在高中水平上对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的工程概念、方法和实践的教学。W2W RET将导致中学课堂教学的变化，并将提高高中生的参与度，他们已经做好了更好的准备，并具有追求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.