Through this three-year Cornell Environmental Sciences Research Partnerships program (CERP), 27 graduate and 15 undergraduate GK-12 fellows are guiding middle and high school students in conducting scientific research. Fellows are working intensively in 10 core schools in the vicinity of Ithaca, NY, and are conducting teacher workshops and shorter research projects with students in 15 satellite schools in NYC and rural, upstate NY. They are drawing on curricula and models for high school student and teacher research developed through eight, previously funded NSF programs at Cornell.
High school students are developing the ability to conduct original research, participating in classroom and Internet-mediated research communities, and enhancing their understanding of the nature of science and environmental sciences content. Teachers are enhancing their ability to guide student researchers and developing partnerships with universities and community organizations. GK-12 fellows are developing leadership, mentoring, and teaching skills, the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams, and partnerships that aid them in their research and future job search. Their work with students is also helping them formulate ideas and collect data for their thesis research. An important outcome of CERP is new models for high school student research, which are being disseminated nationwide.
