This North Carolina State University (NCSU) project entitled Photonics Leaders II (PL2) is a Strategies project for 80 underrepresented minority and rural 10th grade students, their parents or caregivers, and 60 teachers. The project nurtures interest in optics, electronics, computer hardware and software, while building the intellectual, communication and personal skills needed for success in the STEM workforce. NCSU researchers from Physics, Engineering, Distance Learning and Education will partner with The Science House (at NCSU) and industry leaders to develop, implement, and evaluate the activities. Students and teachers will participate in hands-on and virtual learning, career and personal counseling, and field experiences at universities and Research Triangle Park, a Center for technological innovation. The project will engage parents to be effective champions for students by offering information about college-funding resources, college entrance requirements, and connections between coursework and career opportunities.
Photonics Leaders II program is a year-round science and information technology program for 60 underrepresented minority students, 60 teachers, and 120 parents at The Science House, North Carolina State University. The program goals are to: prepare underrepresented minority sophomore and junior students for success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs; equip teachers and parents with resources for engaging learners in these disciplines; and put forth projections for effectively addressing the shortage of STEM professionals and information technology workers by immersing participants in interactive face-to-face and online learning sessions. In three years, the two-year program engaged 70 students in 340 hours, 57 teachers in 48 hours, and 120 parents in 10 hours of inquiry investigations, field trips, research projects, presentations, and externships focused on optics, electronics, fiber optics, computer hardware, software and college planning. The project efforts reached a broad audience of STEM researchers, teachers, parents, and K-20 students from academia, industry, government, national and local levels through 22 presentations, eight publications highlighting project findings related to the student learning intervention, online learning tools, curriculum, and teacher professional development. Indirectly, 4,000 rural and urban students were introduced to optics and photonics resources at schools in Maryland, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia; representing 34 counties. The project staff collaborative efforts with scientists, engineers, and educators produced three Photonics Teaching and Research modules entitled "Fiber Optics Applications", "Light Emitting Diodes", and "Solar Cell and Photonics Technology" for grades 6-12 and informal science programs to address STEM education and global workforce demands. These resources are being dispersed throughout the state and at national conferences to educators. To extend the project impact, these modules were scaled to introduce optics, electronics, and fiber optics to 250 underrepresented minority middle school students, 500 parents, and 12 teachers through North Carolina State University’s Imhotep Academy Program. The project findings have identified the following strategies as fundamental for preparing diverse students for science and information technology careers: immersion in traditional and nontraditional hands-on, problem-based investigations; engagement in a supportive, safe and challenging environment and support system; participation in leadership and professional development training; and integration of professionals from academia, industry, and schools with parents in STEM activities, internships, and mentoring relationships
