The goal of the Hawaii Science Career Inspiration grant (HiSCI) is to enhance science education resources and training available to teachers and students in disadvantaged communities of Hawaii in order to ensure a maximally large and diverse workforce to meet the nation's biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs. The HiSCI Program will build on the knowledge gained from two past SEPA grants and the University of Hawaii Center for Cardiovascular Research and leverage resources from all corners of the state to accomplish four Specific Aims: 1) Increase student interest and exposure to health science careers by providing multiple science exposure opportunities and mentoring along the primary, intermediate, and secondary school experiences for at least 300 students a year and a printed and web-based STEM career resource guide and career posters to alert students, counselors and teachers to all available opportunities; 2) Provide professional development for 20 middle and high school teachers a year, to include scientific content and foster an understanding of the scientific research process, in addition to medical students mentoring intermediate and high school students; 3) Listen, respond to, and connect the science teacher community in Hawaii by holding innovative listening groups for teachers across the state; and 4) Provide tools and supplies for at least twenty K-12 classrooms a year through a mini- grant process and alert teachers across the state to free resources both locally and nationally. The HiSCI Program is highly relevant to Hawaii's public health and science infrastructure as it will provide an innovative way to gain knowledge of science training needs and will provide many of the resources to teachers and students across the state by leveraging, communicating and sharing existing resources.
The Hawaii Science Career Inspiration (HiSCI) program will leverage existing science career resources and culturally appropriate training interventions to create a better informed science workforce for Hawaii and inspire students to pursue careers in the natural sciences.
| Peterman, Karen; Withy, Kelley; Boulay, Rachel (2018) Validating Common Measures of Self-Efficacy and Career Attitudes within Informal Health Education for Middle and High School Students. CBE Life Sci Educ 17:ar26 |
