RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site: The Joule Fellows: Teachers in Sustainable Technologies Research Laboratories

该奖项为康涅狄格大学（UConn）的工程和计算机科学教师研究经验（RET）项目提供了为期三年的标准奖项，该项目名为“工程和计算机科学教师研究经验：焦耳研究员：可持续技术研究实验室的教师”，由Kazem Kazerounian博士指导。能源焦点将使焦耳研究员能够教授，指导和启发学生和同事关于能源替代，保护，影响和工程研究的潜力，为可持续的未来找到有效的解决方案。这项指导计划将使能源知识在全州广泛传播。该提案的一个重要重点是将技术高中教师整合到将被招募参加Joule研究员计划的教师队伍中，该计划还将包括来自传统高中和社区大学的参与者。这个拟议的项目将建立和改进以前成功的NSF RET项目。它将扩大和加强之前的项目，成为一个为期三年的综合项目，在夏季期间在康涅狄格大学斯托尔斯校区接待54名（每年18名）教师和讲师，包括技术高中教师，为期六周。研究主题将是可持续技术生产和应用的重要领域，包括能源、结构和环境领域。参与的教师/讲师将被称为焦耳研究员，他们将从哈特福德、威廉曼蒂克、布里奇波特、布卢姆菲尔德、纽黑文和沃特伯里招募。计划的活动被纳入：(i)研究准备，（ii）研究参与，（iii）专业发展，（iv）衔接技术和7-14年级课程，以及(v)指导和外展。另一个组成部分是项目的可持续性/制度化。焦耳研究员将：1)通过课堂教学检查工程发展；客座演讲;对康涅狄格州能源和环境公司进行半天的参观，展示实验室技术的实际应用；2)通过与教师研究人员和实验室研究生的合作，获得可持续能源发现的机会；3)学习最佳工程研究实践（包括安全、数据收集和分析以及计算工具）、技术交流、科学伦理和行为，以扩大其在RET计划之外的经验影响；4)学习创造性地解决实验室问题的技巧，以及如何将这些知识转化为有效的课堂教学；5)根据焦耳研究员项目的研究活动，开发和实施实验，在学年期间在其所在机构使用；6)在学年期间参加研讨会，协助同事根据研究实验室开发的体验式学习开发和改进科学和数学教学；7)接触到大学终身学习的可能性，并与工程学院的教师和管理人员保持联系；8)受益于与他们的Joule伙伴和康涅狄格大学教师导师在整个学年的持续合作，以加强教学，并为设备，旅行和培训补助金制定建议。

This award provides funding for a three year standard award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science Site program at the University of Connecticut (UConn) entitled, RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site: The Joule Fellows: Teachers in Sustainable Technologies Research Laboratories", under the direction of Dr. Kazem Kazerounian. The energy focus will equip Joule Fellows to teach, mentor, and enlighten students and colleagues on energy alternatives, conservation, impacts, and the potential for engineering research to find effective solutions for a sustainable future. This mentoring program will enable broad dissemination of energy knowledge throughout the State. An important focus of this proposal is the integration of Technical High School teachers into the teacher cohorts who will be recruited for the Joule Fellow program which will also include participants from conventional high schools and community colleges.This proposed project will build and improve upon a previous successful NSF RET project. It will expand and enhance the previous project as a comprehensive three-year program to host 54 (18 each year) teachers and instructors-including Technical High School teachers-at the UConn Storrs campus for six weeks during the summer. The research theme will be in the important areas of sustainable technologies production and applications, including energy, structural and environmental arenas. Participating teachers/instructors will be called Joule Fellows and will be recruited from Hartford, Willimantic, Bridgeport, Bloomfield, New Haven and Waterbury. Planned activities are integrated into: (i) research preparation, (ii) research participation, (iii) professional development, (iv) bridging technology and G7-14 curriculum, and (v) mentorship and outreach. An additional component is program sustainability/institutionalization. Joule Fellows will: 1) Examine engineering developments through classroom instruction; guest lectures; and half-day tours of Connecticut energy and environmental firms illustrating practical applications of lab technologies; 2) Gain exposure to sustainable energy discoveries through collaboration with faculty researchers and graduate students in labs; 3) Learn best engineering research practices (including safety, data collection and analysis, and computational tools), technical communication, scientific ethics and conduct, to expand their experiential impact beyond the RET program; 4) Learn techniques for creatively solving laboratory problems and how to translate this knowledge into effective classroom lessons; 5) Develop and implement experiments based on the research activities of the Joule Fellows program to use in their home institutions during the academic year; 6) Participate in workshops during the academic year to assist colleagues to develop and improve science and mathematics instruction based on the experiential learning developed in the research laboratories; 7) Gain exposure to life-long learning possibilities at the University and remain connected to the faculty and administrators at the School of Engineering; and 8) Benefit from ongoing collaborations with their Joule Buddies and UConn faculty mentors throughout the school year to enhance teaching and to develop proposals for equipment, travel, and training grants.