NSF Awards $5.8 Million Grant Supporting USM, Delaware Partnership Toward Climate Change Education
Adelphi, Md. (August 15,
2012) -- The
National Science Foundation announced that it is funding a major initiative to
help prepare educators in Maryland and Delaware to teach climate change science
in the classroom. The $5.8 million cooperative agreement supports
implementation of the Maryland-Delaware
Climate Change Education, Assessment, and Research (MADE CLEAR) partnership, an
effort to forge new ways to deliver effective and relevant climate change
education that could serve as a national model.
MADE CLEAR is led by the University System of Maryland
(USM) and the University of Delaware and includes participation of faculty members
from the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, the University of
Maryland, College Park, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science, and Towson University.
"MADE CLEAR will connect Maryland and Delaware
students and citizens with the world in which they live by fostering a greater
understanding of why the climate is changing and the consequences within our
two states," said Dr. Donald Boesch, president of the University of
Maryland Center for Environmental Science and MADE CLEAR director. Boesch is the USM Vice Chancellor for Environmental Sustainability. "Our
goal is to provide a basis for our citizens, today and tomorrow, to make
individual and collective choices for limiting the magnitude of climate change
and adapting to its consequences."
The MADE CLEAR partnership brings together of a group of experts in the fields of climate science and
education, led by the University System of Maryland and University of Delaware, to provide a system of support for teachers in
Maryland and Delaware. Focusing on grades 8-12, the
network will also engage universities, state departments of education, and
educators from natural resources agencies, museums, and aquariums.
"For Maryland's prosperity, we must commit to reducing greenhouse
gas emissions. MADE CLEAR will provide our children with the resources to help
us reach our goals and create a more sustainable future," said Maryland
Governor Martin O'Malley. "Together, with exposure to our natural resources and
education about our fragile ecosystems, we can prepare the next generation of
environmental stewards."
Climate change is a complex and sensitive topic to teach,
touching on economic, social, political and scientific issues to a greater
degree than most other science topics. The MADE CLEAR partnership encourages
scientists and educators to work together to ensure scientific objectivity and
accuracy in the classroom and promote critical thinking. Rather than
introducing climate change science as a new subject in an already crowded
curriculum, the goal is to integrate understanding of climate change within new
science standards and environmental literacy requirements in Maryland and
Delaware schools.
"With this grant, we are
creating the building blocks that we need for a smarter America," said Senator
Barbara A. Mikulski, the Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman who funds the
National Science Foundation. "The world is facing a climate crisis, and we have
a responsibility to provide the knowledge and resources to our next generation
of scientists need to tackle this tough issue. This is about preparing
our country and our planet for a better future. And that future depends on the
education available to today's kids. I will continue to work for federal
investments in science and innovation that prepare us for future challenges,
making our economy stronger and our country safer."
The
partnership brings together scientists from the University System of Maryland
and the University of Delaware who are engaged
in various aspects
of climate change research, ranging from atmospheric physics and chemistry to the effects of climate
change on ecosystems
and human health. This expertise is already being utilized
by local, state and federal governments and businesses in understanding what
impacts climate change will have on their assets, people, and ecosystems.
"The goal is to develop
a learning community involving scientists, teacher educators, and teachers to
support each other during professional development activities and follow-up
classroom assistance," said Nancy Shapiro, University System of Maryland
Associate Vice Chancellor.
The MADE CLEAR partnership website (www.madeclear.org) will provide access to upcoming events and resources and will link
to a multimedia site under development by Maryland Public Television. The MPT
site will provide teachers and the general public with videos, news clips, and
lessons related to the impacts of climate change in Maryland and Delaware.
"MADE
CLEAR will support the development and distribution of teaching approaches and
materials, and evaluate their effectiveness," said Nancy Brickhouse,
Interim Provost and Professor of Science Education at the University of
Delaware. "In that way, we can strive not only for continuous improvement
in our two states, but be a model for the nation."
Key to the partnership is the participation of
the Maryland State Department of Education, the Delaware Department of
Education, Maryland Public Television and state and federal science agencies,
including the state departments of environmental and natural resources, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
This project is one of six
Phase II projects being funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through
the Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) program. The CCEP program is a
one-time, dedicated NSF effort to establish a coordinated national network of
regionally- or thematically-based partnerships devoted to increasing the
adoption of effective, high quality educational programs and resources related
to the science of climate change and its impacts. The vision of this program is
a scientifically literate society that can effectively weigh the evidence
regarding global climate change as it confronts the challenges ahead, while
developing the innovative scientific and technical workforce to advance our
knowledge of human-climate interactions and develop approaches for a
sustainable, prosperous future.
Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu
