Heat Viz: An interactive digital platform for heat island investigations for K-12 STEM students

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Project Summary/Abstract Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States (more than hurricanes and tornadoes combined), and the heat island effect intensifies these health risks, often in low-resource urban areas. Our research team has previously piloted heat island measurement projects for citizen science research involving college students and as STEM learning experiences at the high school level. Through the pilot projects, our team has identified key usability hurdles that limit the wide-spread scalability and applicability of these activities. This SBIR Fast-Track Phase I/II proposal (called Heat Viz) aims to build and test an interactive digital media platform to enable heat island projects to be implementable by high schools across the country. The goal of the project is focused on improvements of four student outcomes 1. Content knowledge of relevant disciplinary core ideas around weather, climate, biogeology, and human impacts on the Earth 2. Increased proficiency with the scientific and engineering practices: planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, and arguing from evidence 3. Improved understanding of the health-risks of heat islands, how these are inequitably distributed among different groups, and what might be done to address these risks 4. Increased student interest in STEM and efficacy about how STEM can improve the lives of themselves and their communities The commercial outcome of the Heat Viz project would be to create a program that integrates sensors, software, lesson materials, and professional development into a modular instructional unit that educators can implement into their biology or Earth science curriculum. PocketLab will market and sell the Heat Viz program through our online store and through our network of 30+ resellers in the US and internationally. PocketLab will disseminate the research findings and market the Heat Viz program through our Science is Cool learning community which has engagements with 100K+ science educators.