....the launch of ECO Classroom. This is a unique and innovative nationwide professional development program for public middle and high school science teachers. The Northrop Grumman Foundation, in collaboration with Conservation International, created the program which begins this summer.
"Both Northrop Grumman and Conservation International understand the value of science," said Bush. "We need to leverage the capability of science to address the challenges of international conservation and we have joined forces to create a program to motivate more young people to pursue technical careers in science, engineering and other STEM fields."
"Today we face a number of unprecedented environmental challenges on a global scale that need solutions, many of which will be based in science," said Seligmann. "Together with our partner Northrop Grumman, we are pleased to announce ECO Classroom – a new program designed to enable teachers to inspire the next generation of scientists and environmental stewards."
Under the ECO Classroom program, a team of public school teacher participants – from all over the United States – will travel to Conservation International's Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network Volcan Barva site in La Selva Biological and Braulio Carrillo National Park in Costa Rica, to experience, firsthand, field collection of biodiversity and climate data using TEAM scientific protocols, and bring these unique learning opportunities into their classroom. Applications for the inaugural class of teachers to attend the July 2012 program are now available. To learn more about or to apply to participate in ECO Classroom, visit www.northropgrumman.com/ecoclassroom. The application deadline is March 15, 2012.
The goal of ECO Classroom is to help teachers inspire students to pursue science and technical careers and become our next generation of environmental scientists. It is widely acknowledged among educators and policymakers that insufficient numbers of students are entering into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. One way to address this issue and emphasize environmental stewardship is to motivate educators to engage students in the sciences and to bring unique learning opportunities into their classrooms with real-world curricula and hands-on experiences. Teachers will return to their schools with an in-depth understanding of the interrelationship between biodiversity, climate change, and human activities, and will be equipped with new techniques and resources to enhance their own classroom teaching. Additional teacher trips are planned for subsequent summers.