RET Site: The Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI)--The Panama Connection

这个为期三年的项目的重点是通过对美国生物交流中心（GABI）的调查，为中学和高中STEM教师提供专业研究经验。每年10名教师（包括生物学、化学、地球和环境科学以及海洋学等不同领域）和三至五名专业古生物学家将参加一个四阶段的专业发展过程，包括：（1）旅行前指导（5月）;（2）7月在巴拿马进行12天的活动，从以前报告的地点以及新发现的地点收集化石;（3）旅行后的在线实践社区（网络化）;以及（4）在每个队列结束时的最后总结（12月）。此外，一些教师也可以选择与科学家在他们的研究实验室，主要位于加州，佛罗里达和新墨西哥州的合作伙伴。巴拿马的合作伙伴来自奇里基自治大学，包括教师和学生，以及巴拿马学校的STEM教师。参与该RET的教师将制定与化石，古生物学，进化，地质学，过去的气候变化以及与当前STEM标准一致的相关内容相关的课程计划。 在新近纪巴拿马地峡形成的催化下，GABI对整个美洲的陆地生物和全球海洋生物的进化和地理产生了深远的影响。例如，100多种陆生哺乳动物分布在美洲之间，许多海洋生物的大洋间分布由于地峡的形成而减少了一半。而不是被认为是一个单一的事件发生在大约400万年前，GABI可能代表了一系列的分散在过去的1000万年，其中一些发生在地峡完全关闭之前。因此，在巴拿马通过GABI RET（教师研究经验）获得的新化石发现有助于理解新近纪GABI的复杂性和时间。该奖项由国际和综合活动办公室共同资助。

This three-year project focuses on professional research experiences for middle and high school STEM teachers through investigations of the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI). Each year 10 teachers (in diverse fields including biology, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences, and oceanography) and three to five professional paleontologists will participate in a four-phase process of professional development, including: a (1) pre-trip orientation (May); (2) 12 days in Panama in July collecting fossils from previously reported, as well as newly discovered, sites; (3) a post-trip on-line (cyber-enabled) Community of Practice; and (4) a final wrap-up at the end of each cohort (December). In addition, some of the teachers may also elect to partner with scientists in their research laboratories, principally located in California, Florida, and New Mexico. The partners in Panama are from the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí (UNACHI), including faculty and students, as well as STEM teachers from schools in Panama. Teachers that participate in this RET will develop lesson plans related to fossils, paleontology, evolution, geology, past climate change, and related content aligned with current STEM standards. The GABI, catalyzed by the formation of the Isthmus of Panama during the Neogene, had a profound effect on the evolution and geography of terrestrial organisms throughout the Americas and marine organisms globally. For example, more than 100 genera of terrestrial mammals dispersed between the Americas, and numerous marine organisms had their interoceanic distributions cut in half by the formation of the Isthmus. Rather than being considered a single event that occurred about 4 million years ago, the GABI likely represents a series of dispersals over the past 10 million years, some of which occurred before full closure of the Isthmus. New fossil discoveries in Panama resulting from the GABI RET (Research Experiences for Teachers) are thus contributing to the understanding of the complexity and timing of the GABI during the Neogene.This award is being co-funded with the Office International and Integrative Activities.