RET Site: Cross-disciplinary Research Experiences on Smart Cities for Nevada Teachers: Integrating Big Data into Robotics

这个研究经验的教师（RET）网站在内华达州里诺大学的目的是提供一个独特的整体研究经验，以K-12教师的内华达州有关未来的智慧城市和机器人和大数据的前沿课题，以及它们的交叉点。总体目标是使内华达州的教师能够帮助他们的学生培养对这些领域的热情，加强他们的批判性思维，并广泛培养在STEM领域出类拔萃的兴趣。目前，各个领域的研究对于解决实现真正的自动驾驶和实现智慧城市的众多挑战至关重要。在STEM教育的背景下，机器人和大数据的跨学科研究的相关性和重要性不能被夸大，其潜力每天都在增长。该网站将通过提供切实的研究经验和适当设计的知识模块，吸引K-12教师参与STEM教育，从而加强学生的STEM教育，并进一步设计和部署适用于学校环境的可转移研究和教育工具。该项目旨在培养各级K-12教师对机器人和大数据研究的兴趣和热情，特别是从它们在智慧城市中的交叉点的角度来看。RET网站将通过以下方式提供切实的体验：a）关于自动驾驶、机器学习和大数据基本原理的教育活动; B）一个名为“Robocity”的定制设计、小型化和可转移的智能城市试验台; c）在一辆装有仪表的电动巴士和一辆线控林肯MKZ自动驾驶汽车上的动手活动。通过设想的活动，预计内华达州教师将积极参与并获得机器人感知和机器学习，控制，路径规划，大数据分析和大数据系统设计方面的知识和研究经验。为了提高当地各级K-12学校的STEM教育质量，组建了一个由高级和年轻教师组成的团队，以支持课程模块的开发，并提供一套机制，使研究能够无缝地转移到学校环境中。该项目将制定一项全面的项目评估计划，并开展一个参与者招募过程，重点关注代表性不足的群体和相应的学生群体。为确保教师所掌握的技能能够转移到课堂上，PI团队将与RET参与者开展后续活动，以支持Robocity的安装。PI团队还将在学校提供演示和实际练习，并在里诺的内华达州大学举办研讨会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site at the University of Nevada Reno aims to deliver a unique holistic research experience to K-12 teachers of Nevada in relation to future smart cities and the cutting edge topics of robotics and big data, as well as their intersection. The overarching goal is to enable a critical mass of teachers in Nevada to be able to help their students develop a passion for these domains, strengthen their critical thinking, and broadly nurture an interest to excel in STEM fields. Research in the respective domains is currently of paramount importance in order to address the multitude of open challenges to achieve truly autonomous driving and the realization of smart cities. The relevance and significance of cross-disciplinary research in robotics and big data cannot be overstated in the context of STEM education and its potential is daily growing. This site will attract K-12 teacher participants to STEM education by providing tangible research experiences and appropriately designed knowledge modules, in turn enhancing the STEM education for their students and further designing and deploying transferable research and education tools for the school environment.This project aims to nurture an interest and passion for robotics and big data research to K-12 teachers of all levels, especially from the perspective of their intersection for smart cities. The RET Site will provide a tangible experience through a) educational activities on the fundamental principles of autonomous driving, machine learning, and big data, b) a custom-designed, miniaturized, and transferable test-bed of smart cities called "Robocity", and c) hands-on activities on an instrumented electric bus and a drive-by-wire Lincoln MKZ autonomous car. Through the envisioned activities, it is anticipated that Nevada teachers will be actively engaged and gain knowledge and research experiences in robotic perception and machine learning, control, path planning, big data analytics, and big data system design. To enhance the quality of STEM education in local K-12 schools at all levels, a team with both senior and young faculty has been assembled to support the development of curricular modules and provide a set of mechanisms that allow research to be seamlessly transferred to the school environment. The project will engage a thorough plan for project evaluation and a participant recruitment process that focuses on underrepresented groups and respective student populations. To ensure that the developed skills acquired by teachers are transferred to the classroom, the PI team will engage in follow-up activities with the RET participants to support the installation of Robocity. The PI team will also offer demonstrations and tangible exercises at schools, as well as workshops at the University of Nevada, Reno.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.