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

这个为期三年的项目通过对大美国生物交换中心 (GABI) 的调查，重点关注初高中 STEM 教师的专业研究经验。每年，10 名教师（包括生物学、化学、地球与环境科学以及海洋学等不同领域）和三到五名专业古生物学家将参加四个阶段的专业发展过程，包括： (1) 行前培训（5 月）； (2) 7 月在巴拿马为期 12 天，从先前报告的以及新发现的地点收集化石； (3) 旅行后在线（网络支持）实践社区； (4) 每个队列结束时（12 月）进行最终总结。此外，一些教师还可能选择与主要位于加利福尼亚州、佛罗里达州和新墨西哥州的研究实验室的科学家合作。巴拿马的合作伙伴来自奇里基自治大学（UNACHI），包括教职员工和学生，以及来自巴拿马学校的 STEM 教师。参加 RET 的教师将制定与化石、古生物学、进化论、地质学、过去的气候变化以及符合当前 STEM 标准的相关内容相关的课程计划。 新近纪时期巴拿马地峡的形成催化了 GABI，对整个美洲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，超过100属的陆地哺乳动物分布在美洲之间，许多海洋生物的大洋间分布因地峡的形成而减少了一半。 GABI 并不被认为是发生在大约 400 万年前的单一事件，它很可能代表了过去 1000 万年中的一系列扩散，其中一些发生在地峡完全闭合之前。因此，GABI RET（教师研究经验）在巴拿马发现的新化石有助于理解新近纪期间 GABI 的复杂性和时间安排。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.