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

这个为期三年的项目重点是通过对大美国生物交换（GABI）的调查，为初中和高中STEM教师提供专业研究经验。每年将有10名教师（来自不同领域，包括生物、化学、地球与环境科学和海洋学）和3至5名专业古生物学家参加一个四阶段的专业发展过程，包括：(1)旅行前的指导（5月）；(2) 7月在巴拿马花了12天时间，从以前报道的和新发现的地点收集化石；(3)旅行后的在线（网络支持）实践社区；(4)每组课程结束时的最后总结（12月）。此外，一些教师也可能选择与他们的研究实验室的科学家合作，这些实验室主要位于加利福尼亚州、佛罗里达州和新墨西哥州。巴拿马的合作伙伴来自universsidad Autónoma de Chiriquí （UNACHI），包括教职员工和学生，以及来自巴拿马学校的STEM教师。参与此RET的教师将制定与化石，古生物学，进化论，地质学，过去气候变化相关的课程计划，以及与当前STEM标准一致的相关内容。新近纪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属的陆生哺乳动物分散在美洲之间，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。GABI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1000万年中一系列的分散，其中一些发生在地峡完全关闭之前。由于GABI RET（教师研究经验）在巴拿马发现了新的化石，因此有助于理解新近纪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.