AGS-FIRP Track 1: Application of an Ice Nucleation Cold Stage for Teaching Cloud Microphysics in Science and Engineering Classes at a Minority-serving Institution

该项目团队将利用北卡罗来纳州立大学的大气研究和教育冰核冷台设施，在课堂环境中为理工科学生和助教提供动手实验室培训。在这项工作中，学生将学习材料和环境科学的基本概念，如相变、相变温度、结晶和物理成核。教学将于2024年秋季在大二年级开始，然后在2025年春季开始大一课程。学生将主要来自西德克萨斯农工大学，但也有一些学生将从附近为拉美裔服务的阿马里洛学院挑选出来。该项目的目标是：(1)在少数人服务的机构获取和建立冰核冷台；(2)开发大气冰核教育模块并复制冰核冷台仪器；(3)向大约60名学生讲授新设计的模块；(4)与阿马里洛学院开展外联活动。冰核冷阶段将在秋季学期使用，重复的冰核冷阶段将被复制用于2025年春季学期。两名本科生助教将被招募用于课堂教学。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The project team will provide hands-on laboratory training in a classroom setting for science and engineering students and teaching assistants by utilizing the Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education Ice Nucleation Cold Stage from North Carolina State University. In this work, students will learn about fundamental concepts of material and environmental science, such as phase change, phase transition temperature, crystallization, and physical nucleation. Teaching will begin within a sophomore class in the Fall of 2024 followed by a freshman class in the Spring of 2025. Students will come primarily from West Texas A&M University, but some will be selected from the nearby Hispanic-serving Amarillo College. The experience to be gained by the students will be valuable and is very likely to enhance their understanding of ice nucleation research and how laboratory data is utilized for research purposes.The objectives of the project are: (1) acquiring and setting up the Ice Nucleation Cold Stage at a minority-serving institution, (2) developing an education module in atmospheric ice nucleation and replicating the Ice Nucleation Cold Stage instrument, (3) teaching the newly designed module to approximate 60 students; and (4) conducting outreach activities with Amarillo College. The Ice Nucleation Cold Stage will be used during the Fall semester and a duplicate Ice Nucleation Cold Stage will be replicated for use in the Spring 2025 semester. Two undergraduate teaching assistants will be recruited for classroom teaching.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.