K-12 Outreach
UTEP
The goal of PRE-CCAP K12 outreach program will be to inspire and prepare underrepresented K12 students in the southwest border region. The students that are in the program will participate in different educational modules developed by UTEP team as well as new educational modules described in this section. One of the goals of the program is to educate students about STEM and make them aware of the opportunities available in nuclear energy and materials related fields. Several ongoing programs will be leveraged to be a part of the program including outreach programs like ExciTES, P3 Kidz on campus and E-Week. The PRE-CCAP K12 program builds on the previously established K12 Energy modules developed by the UTEP team. This program has already engaged over 500 direct participants, K12 students, and 50 in-service teachers. In addition, we will build new outreach visits and camps at UTEP with a focus on specialized nuclear energy and materials modules. Outreach visits to UTEP involve the use of equipment and facilities available for student learning and experimentation. Outreach groups will include classes of students during school time or after school in coordination with the teacher. The PRE-CCAP group will look to partner with on campus K12 groups such as the NASA Aerospace Academy the UTEP Plaza, and the Educational Talent Search team, a TRIO program working with low income middle and high school youth in the El Paso area. Each of these programs serves over 1000 K12 students per year.
FIU
Outreach activities will serve over 30 school teachers in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), will provide training to a rich diversity of K-12 students across race and gender from an early age to transition into future crop of scientists/engineers in USA. The proposed outreach activities include. (1) Nano Club: Innovative demonstrations will be made every month in selected Miami-Dade Schools to introduce students to nanotechnology and manufacturing. Kits have been budgeted for this effort. Activity will provide mentorship, and build rapport over a certain period of time to encourage students, especially from under-represented groups (74% of population in Miami is minority) to take STEM as a career. (2) Engineers on Wheels: Engineers on Wheels is a van visiting South Florida schools to provide students with hands-on activities and engineering experiments, as well as expose K-12 students to career opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The program features grade-appropriate, interactive lessons and presentations led by FIU students and overseen by faculty. Project partners will leverage this facility to present manufacturing technology lessons and experiments to students in South Florida.
TSU
Summer internship program at TSU for K-12 and undergraduate students to raise the awareness of this pipeline project. Outreach activity through HBCU-UP and TSLAMP programs at TSU. Additional outreach activity may be pursued at the Nashville metro school system.