RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site: Robotics Engineering for Better Life and Sustainable Future

该奖项更新了密歇根州立大学机器人工程为更好的生活和可持续发展的未来的示范性教师研究经验（RET）网站。 更新后的网站将继续发展密歇根州立大学和学校之间的强大的合作伙伴关系，在更大的兰辛-底特律-大急流城地区，通过培训在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）领域的初中和高中教师的领导干部，推进大学预科科学和工程教育。 该计划将从密歇根州中部和东南部的学校招募教师，重点是那些服务于社会经济困难的人群和传统上在科学和工程领域代表性不足的群体的学生。 RET参与者将参加为期6周的暑期研究所，参与机器人工程的前沿研究，并由工程学院指导，他们领导充满活力的机器人相关研究项目。 教师将与PI，教师导师，课程开发专家和TeachEngineering.org的编辑合作，开发创新的，符合标准的课程模块，并参加一些专业发展活动。 广泛的后续活动计划在整个学年，以确保实验室经验转化为课堂实践，并促进和加强工程学院和教师之间的长期合作伙伴关系。 第三方专业项目评估人员将对项目进行跟踪评估，并提供改进反馈。 评估员还将对参与者进行纵向研究，以评估可再生能源技术方案的长期影响。 在机器人工程为更美好的生活和可持续发展的未来的主题下，建议的RET网站将向教师展示领先的机器人研究，包括生物机器人学，进化机器人学，纳米机器人学，脑机接口，生物力学和人机交互，以及机器人技术将为个人护理，医疗程序，环境监测和探索以及娱乐和游戏带来的深刻变化。 机器人工程的跨学科性质将为开发符合州和国家标准的生物，物理，化学和技术创新课程模块提供肥沃的土壤，这将激发大学预科学生并活跃课堂学习。 更广泛的影响。 拟议的RET网站项目预计将丰富一些未来STEM教育领导者的专业发展，其中约一半是女性，少数民族的比例与此相似。 它还将导致科学和技术课程的创新，并激发中学生对科学探究的兴趣。 通过与兰辛、底特律和大急流城的学校以及全女子里贾纳高中的合作，拟议的项目将对年轻学生的学习和职业道路产生积极影响，特别是来自密歇根州和其他地区服务不足地区和代表性不足群体的学生，从而为美国急需的技术娴熟的劳动力做出贡献。

This award renews an exemplary Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site on Robotics Engineering for Better Life and Sustainable Future at Michigan State University. The renewed site will continue to develop a strong partnership between MSU and schools in the greater Lansing-Detroit-Grand Rapids area on advancing pre-college science and engineering education by training a cadre of leaders of middle and high school teachers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The program will recruit teachers from schools in Mid- and Southeast Michigan with a focus on those serving socioeconomically challenged populations and students from groups traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering. RET participants will attend a 6-week summer institute, to participate in cutting-edge research on robotics engineering, with mentoring from engineering faculty who lead vibrant robotics related research programs. Working with PIs, faculty mentors, a curriculum development specialist and an editor of TeachEngineering.org, teachers will develop innovative, standards-compliant curriculum modules and participate in a number of professional development activities. Extensive follow-up activities are planned throughout the academic year to ensure the translation of lab experience into classroom practice, and to foster and strengthen long-term partnership between engineering faculty and teachers. A third-party professional program evaluator will track and evaluate the program and provide feedback for improvement. The evaluator will also conduct longitudinal studies on participants to assess the longer-term impact of the RET program.Intellectual Merit. Under the coherent theme of Robotics Engineering for Better Life and Sustainable Future, the proposed RET Site will expose teachers to leading robotics research spanning biorobotics, evolutionary robotics, nanorobotics, brain-machine interface, biomechanics, and human-robot interaction, and to the profound changes robotic technologies will bring to personal care, medical procedures, environmental monitoring and exploration, and entertainment and gaming. The interdisciplinary nature of robotics engineering will provide a fertile ground for developing creative course modules in biology, physics, chemistry, and technology that align with state and national standards, which will excite pre-college students and liven up classroom learning. Broader Impacts. The proposed RET Site project is expected to enrich the professional development of a number of future leaders in STEM education, about half being females with a similar ratio for minorities. It will also result in innovative curriculum for science and technology courses, and pique the interest of middle and high school students in scientific inquiry. Through the partnership with schools in Lansing, Detroit, and Grand Rapids, and the all-girls Regina High School, the proposed project will positively influence the learning and career paths of young students, especially students from underserved districts and underrepresented groups in Michigan and beyond for years to come, thus contributing to a technology-savvy workforce that is much needed by America.