Anant R. Kukreti - US grants

Experimental study of deformation characteristics of anisotropic solids such as rocks, timbers, concretes, and composite materials under three- dimensional loading has special significance to many engineering disciplines. Because of some inherent limitation, conventional laboratory devices may be inadequate for determining material constants for desired constitutive laws. The main objective of this project is to design and fabricate a High Capacity (30,000 psig) Cubical Device for three-dimensional testing of aforementioned and other solids. The device will consist of four major components: (1) a rigid cubical space frame with six end plates ("pressure chamber"), (2) a deformation measuring system, (3) a (hydraulic) loading system, and (4) a data acquisition system. The cubical frame and the end plates will be fabricated locally, while the other components will be procured from vendors. Tests along any desired stress path in the three-dimensional stress space, with any number of loading, unloading, and reloading sequences, can be performed by the device. An electronically controlled and fully automated loading mechanism, as well as a deformation measuring and data acquisition system, would allow testing under slow cyclic compressive loading.

Equipment and experiments are provided for teaching the behavior of structures to undergraduate engineers. Instruction begins with simple linear elastic experiments, progressing through structures exhibiting geometrically non-linear behavior (e.g., beam-column) and post linear conditions involving inelastic material response (e.g., the ultimate load capacity of reinforced concrete beams). All experiments will be done using small-scale structures that can be easily prefabricated and built by students. The overall objectives of these experiments are: (i) to enable the student to gain a better understanding of structural behavior; (ii) to give them an additional experience in experimental work beyond that gained in the first materials behavior laboratory course; and (iii) to serve as a motivational force and as a general enrichment of their educational experience.

This project encompasses the development of equipment and experiments for teaching the behavior of structures under dynamic loading conditions to undergraduate engineers. The laboratory development augments the facilities available in an existing laboratory which is used to teach behavior of structures under static loads. Tests begin with simple free vibration experiments demonstrating how dynamic parameters characterizing motion are measured, progressing through structures subjected to forced vibration caused by dynamic forces (e.g., wind loads) or base motion (e.g., by an earthquake), and application of vibration reduction techniques (e.g., by use of dampers and base isolators). Small-scale structures will be used in most of the experiments, but in at least one experiment, the students will evaluate the dynamic performance of an existing prototype structure. The overall objectives in conducting such tests include: (1) enabling the student to understand dynamic structural behavior and related theories; (2) teaching the students the use of modern dynamic testing equipment and data acquisition facilities; and (3) serving as a motivational force and as a general enrichment of their educational experience. Instruments will provide state- of-the-art experience and yet will be easy to use. The experiments which can be performed are essentially unlimited and can be changed to meet changing curricular needs at no additional cost.

The School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science at the University of Oklahoma is establishing a REU site with a special focus on the development of enhanced materials and structural components used for small-scale modeling. Three laboratory projects have been identified for the program: the design of improved micro-concrete mixtures, bond strength of deformed small- scale reinforcing bars in micro-concrete, and small scale modeling of base isolation systems. All three projects improve the capabilities of small-scale models used to investigate the seismic performance of new or existing structural systems. Students will be divided into three equal size groups. Each group will work on one project for two months. This REU site will provide a "total" experience to the participants: learning, research, report writing, and presentation.

9322343 Kukreti This Research Experiences for Undergraduates project will establish a three year site for undergraduate research (REU Site) in "Structural Engineering" with a special focus on techniques to study the "Development of Enhanced Materials, Structural Components and Structural Assemblages Used for Small-Scale Modeling in Seismic Performance Evaluation Studies" in the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES), University of Oklahoma (OU). ***

In 1986, reported research results indicated that current design provisions that govern the anchorage of steel prestressing strands were inadequate. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) responded by issuing a moratorium in October of 1988 that increased the development length requirements for pretensioned strands until additional research was available to restructure or verify the current code provisions. That moratorium remains in effect today. Subsequently, several research projects were undertaken to measure experimentally the transfer lengths and development lengths of pretensioned prestressing strands. However, the results from various research projects indicate widely disparate results, with measured transfer lengths varying more than 100% between different research projects. In fact, the defining characteristic of transfer length measurements appear to be their wide degree of scatter, despite researchers' best efforts to control variables. Collectively, the widely disparate transfer length and development length results indicate that all of the relevant variables have not been sufficiently identified nor quantified. This research will investigate the fundamental bond mechanisms to develop behavioral and analytical models that can become the foundation for design.

98-72505 Kukreti University of Oklahoma Sooner City - Design Across the Curriculum The School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science (CEES) at the University of Oklahoma (OU) is embarking on a curriculum reform project entitled Sooner City. The project is in response to the call for more design in the curriculum, a call being made by the engineering accrediting agency, by practitioners who are dissatisfied with the design skills of graduates, and by faculty who want to promote higher-level thinking skills and improve retention. For the project, incoming freshman will be given a plat of undeveloped land that, by the time they graduate, will turned into a blueprint for certain segments of the city (time constraints prevent the design of an entire city). Design tasks include all facets of the traditional civil engineering program, such as site planning and layout, sewer and water infrastructure, water supply, wastewater treatment, buildings, transportation systems, channel design, floodplain analysis, and geotechnical work. A common, four-year design project unifies the curriculum and allows material learned in early courses to carry forward, unlike the "traditional" paradigm wherein courses frequently stand as independent entities with no apparent connection. Also, the project allows students to develop a professional design portfolio that can be presented to perspective employers, be used as a valuable reference for future design tasks, or be used as part of CEES's outcomes-based assessment. Furthermore, Sooner City provides a natural forum for incorporating other pedagogical reform initiatives, such as just-in-time learning, collaborative learning, and laptop computing. The primary goal of the project is to produce graduates who can consistently think at a higher level, and who are thus capable of handling open-ended design projects that require creativity, exploring alternative solutions, self-analysis, and awareness of economic, social, and political issues. The e xtent to which we meet this goal is being assessed through formative and summative evaluations by an external reviewer. The project is unique in that it threads a common design theme throughout the curriculum, yet does so in a flexible, cost-effective manner that requires no change in the traditional sequencing of courses. Because it does not require major institutional support, nor lock faculty into a fixed syllabus, the approach should be attractive to many institutions and be portable to other disciplines. Reform details will be disseminated via the Web and CDROM, and through traditional outlets such as conferences, journal articles, and local and national media.

9820102
University of Oklahoma
Anant R. Kukreti

This proposal requests support for initiating nine undergraduate students in research in Structural Engineering each year for five years. At least three positions will be filled by minorities or women, which will include at least one Native American. Persons with disabilities will be accommodated. Engaging the REU participants in discovery through actual construction, experimental testing, observing and recording, synthesizing the data collected and generalizations will provide the research experience. Three laboratory projects have been identified for each year in the following areas: the design of improved micro-concrete and measurement of the bond strength of model reinforcing bars, manufacture and testing of small-scale steel frame connections, and construction and testing of a small-scale steel frame fitted with various types of seismic bracing and base isolation systems. The students selected will be divided into three groups, and each group will study one project during the two summer months (June and July). All three projects are so chosen to build on previous year's REU project, and will improve the capabilities of small-scale models used to investigate the seismic performance of structural systems. Each year the groups will produce detailed technical reports and present their findings to a panel of judges consisting of three professional civil engineers and two professors from visual arts and video media. The judges will select the "Best Project" in both the technical and visual presentation categories. Upon returning to their home institutions, the participants will prepare papers for presentation at the student paper competitions and seminars.

Project STEP, involves graduate and undergraduate Fellows, secondary science and mathematics teachers, University of Cincinnati faculty and a graphics/web developer, working in teams to design, develop, and implement hands-on activities and technology-driven inquiry-based projects which relate to the students' community issues, as vehicles to teach science and math skills. Activities will be incorporated into lessons, demonstrations, laboratory exercises, individual and group projects, and field experiences to enable middle and high school students to directly experience authentic learning practices that requires them to use higher-order thinking skills; encourage creative problem-solving skills that require collaborative learning, teamwork, writing, and presentation; cultivate an interest in service learning in which students are active participants, achieve outcomes that show a perceptible impact, and engage in evaluative reflection; and better motivate and prepare secondary school students for advanced education. The Fellows will be trained to create and implement these activities by taking an educational methods course, an advanced course in instructional technology, and by serving as teaching assistants and tutors in guiding summer academies for middle and high school students. Quantitative formative and summative evaluation will be conducted to assess the project's effectiveness on Fellows' teaching skills, its impact on middle and high school science and mathematics education, and to continually improve the program as it develops. This project is receiving partial support from the Directorate for Engineering.

PROPOSAL NO.: 0230535
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Kukreti, Anant
INSTITUTION NAME: University of Cincinnati Main Campus
TITLE: Science and Mathematics Authentic inquiRy-based Teaching: Project SMART for K-12


ABSTRACT

Project SMART partners engineering and education faculty members with K-12 educators to
empower high school students to successfully complete college.. Project SMART recognizes that effective student education requires authentic, inquiry-based learning. By solving open-ended problems based upon real world examples, students will link the relevance of their education with their daily lives and appreciate
the intrinsic and tangible values of science and mathematics in modern society. The five goals of Project
SMART include:

Improving science and mathematics achievement of ALL students, consistent with our overarching
goal ioTo Leave No Child Behind.l_
Training secondary science and mathematics educators to incorporate authentic, inquiry-based
education into current secondary science and mathematics curricula.
Attracting secondary school students to engineering; enhancing the perception of career opportunities in engineering; and improving students SMET related skills to become successful engineers.
Instilling an awareness of the importance of learning science and mathematics skills in K-6
administrators, teachers, parents, and students.
Increasing the quantity and quality of gender and ethnic student diversity in SMET related courses.

The partners form a unique alliance among engineering and education faculty of the University of
Cincinnati (UC), the Southwest Ohio section of High Schools That Work (HSTW), and the Greater
Cincinnati Tech. Prep.

For this planning proposal, we have presented our preliminary thoughts on the main elements envisioned
for Project SMART, including: 1) teacher professional development; 2) educational resources for
teachers; 3) student programs: out of the classroom and into the world of science and mathematics; 4) pre-
engineering program for high school students; and 5) evaluation, assessment and improvement. In
particular, we have proposed special programs specifically targeting traditionally underrepresented groups
in SMET related fields including ethnic minorities and girls. In addition, we have presented our views on
ininstructional theorylu which will form the context for the planning and development of these elements.
The Project Committee believes that the implementation of Project SMART in the microcosm of
Cincinnati is transferable to other school districts struggling with similar education problems. During the
last century, Ohio lead the nation as a strong manufacturing state. Now, we must change our educational
style to keep up with society's technological demands. Project SMART is envisioned to transform the
lives of students it touches by tearing down barriers to high paying jobs and creating informed citizens.

This action provides funding for a three year standard award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site program at the University of Cincinnati entitled, "Summer Research Experiences for Seventh to Twelfth Grade Teachers in Civil Infrastructure Renewal and Rehabilitation," under the direction of Dr. Anant R. Kukreti. The goals of this program are: 1) to educate, cultivate, and facilitate 7th to 12th grade science and math teachers by exploring the scientific method of inquiry and the critical research skills that engineers use to solve open-ended real world problems; 2) to have the participating teachers become role models by applying their research experiences in their classrooms and with colleagues; and 3) to have the teachers' new skills enable 7th to 12th grade students to directly link their education to events and issues occurring within their community and encourage them to become effective citizens in a technology driven society.

Abstract for REU Site on Development of Enhanced Materials and Structural Assemblages for Seismic Performance Evaluation Studies
Institution: University of Cincinnati
Principal Investigator: Anant R. Kukreti

This REU award is for 3-year Site for undergraduate research in "Structural Engineering" with a special focus on techniques to study the "Development of Enhanced Materials and Structural Assemblages for Seismic Performance Evaluation Studies" in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Cincinnati (UC). Recently enhanced analytical and computational capabilities and higher strength materials have led to lighter, larger and more complex structures. To design them, the engineer must be able to evaluate their overall behavior, including their performance under possible heavy overloads of both static and dynamic (seismic, wind, blast) environments.

The goal of this 8- week REU Site is to immerse participants in research using modern technology and small-scale models to explore the use of innovative materials and components to mitigate damage caused by earthquakes. The research projects for the site are designed to introduce undergraduate students from diverse engineering backgrounds to civil engineering infrastructure hands-on laboratory research experiences. This REU program is a continuation of 3 successfully completed REU Sites, and it builds on the process and infrastructure already established..

Engineering (59)

The project funds scholarships for 32 S-STEM Scholars in the Engineering and Computer Science programs. The primary project objective is to focus on recruitment and retention of female and minority engineering students so that upon graduation the scholars are placed in technical jobs or graduate school. The recruiting strategy involves personal interviews with local students and telephone interviews for out-of-state students. A Center for Women in Engineering assists in identifying qualified female candidates. The recruiting plan builds on the existing retention strategies and activities of the Emerging Ethnic Engineers (E3) Program. S-STEM Scholars participate in all activities associated with the E3 program and the Center for Women in Engineering. These activities include Bridge Programs, a structured program that teaches cooperative learning techniques, supplemental classes in calculus and physics to provide a solid foundation, industrial internships, and interacting with a Faculty Advocate Group. An external evaluator is assessing the ideas of the project for practicality, appropriateness, and probable impact.

This proposal describes a Track 2 project developed by the University of Cincinnati that will partner fellows and teachers to develop curriculum modules in the framework called "STEMcinnati City". This Track 2 Project STEP-a partnership of UC faculty and 5 graduate Fellows, 5 strategically chosen high schools, and community and industrial partners-strives to further improve STEM interest and skills of high school students using engineering as a context for authentic learning through an overarching project. The vision is to develop a seamless community of UC and K-12 learners sharing STEM knowledge. The primary goals of this project are: 1) to train, energize and sustain graduate engineering, math and science Fellows to effectively teach STEM skills to secondary school students; 2) to develop hierarchical and expandable STEM lesson plans that explicitly connect key concepts at different grade levels; and 3) to plant the seeds of systemic change at UC and K-12 schools through synergistic partnerships that ensure the sustainability of the program beyond NSF funding.

Partners: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools: Hughes Teaching and Technology High School, Hughes CAMAS High School, Western Hills Design Technology High School, Western Hills University High School, and Shroder Paidea High School.

The University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering is increasing and retaining to completion the number of underrepresented students in engineering fields. The project is an outcome a NSF Bridges to Engineering Education (BEE) Planning Grant that held focus group meetings with teachers and administrators from 14 school districts and conducted secondary school and university student surveys. Based on the findings, an alliance was formed among UC engineering faculty and teachers and administrators from 18 school districts within a 100 km radius of Cincinnati to develop this project that targets the 159,623 students enrolled in these districts' public schools. The student population consists of about 41% minority and 49% female students, and about 29% of these students have indicated an interest in engineering.

The project is focusing on recruitment and retention. Included among the strategies being used are precollege activities, a summer institute for high school students, both six week and one week summer bridge programs, peer, corporate and faculty mentoring, supplemental instruction, and both summer and academic year undergraduate research opportunities. The first two activities listed are supported by non-NSF funds.

This award provides funding for a 3 year continuing award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering Site program at the University of Cincinnati (UC) entitled, Sustainable Engineering for Urban Needs: Research Experiences for Middle and High School Teachers", under the direction of Dr. Anant Kukreti.

This Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering Site is a renewal of a successful RET Site program hosted by the UC College of Engineering which annually supports, 12 in-service and 6 pre-service middle and high school math and science teachers from Cincinnati public schools, who will participate in a six-week summer research program and academic year follow-on activities. The primary goals of this RET site are three fold: (1) To educate, cultivate, and enrich experiences for science and math teachers by exploring the scientific methods of inquiry and the critical research skills used by engineers to solve open-ended real-world problems. (2) The participating teachers will become role models by applying their research experiences in their classrooms with colleagues. (3) The teachers' new skills will enable their students to directly link their education to current events and the needs of their community and encourage them to become effective citizens in a technology-driven society.

This Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) in Engineering program entitled, "NUE: Integration of Nanoscale Devices and Environmental Aspects of Nanotechnology into Undergraduate Engineering and Science Curricula", at the University of Cincinnati (UC) under the direction of Dr. F. James Boerio, will enhance undergraduate education at UC by introducing two new courses entitled Nanoscale Devices and Environmental Aspects of Nanotechnology into the undergraduate engineering and science curricula. The new courses will build on the background that students have gained in two existing NUE courses entitled Introduction to Nanoscale Science and Technology and Experimental Nanoscale Science and Technology to provide students at UC with outstanding eudcation in nanoscale science and engineering. All four courses will be offered yearly, forming the basis for a minor focused on interdisciplinary nanoscale science and technology that UC will develop subsequently, and will be cross-listed by the Colleges of Engineering and Arts and Sciences, making them readily available to students in many different disciplines.

The broader impact of this project will include adapting the experimental modules for presentation to students in grades 4-12 through an extensive outreach program; addressing the need for a technologically advanced workforce in Ohio in the area of nanomaterials and nanotechnology; addressing the need for an educational enterprise that creates such a workforce; and making the experimental modules associated with the new courses available to all universities participating in the Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials in which UC partners.

This exploratory project will restructure the Freshman Engineering Program (FEP) in the College of Engineering at the University of Cincinnati (UC) to include new approaches to teaching, emphasize engineering applications of material being taught concurrently in courses such as Calculus and Physics, and provide students with information regarding career opportunities in various fields of engineering through interaction with leading engineers from local industries. This is expected to increase the graduation rate of students in FEP. The effect of restructuring FEP will be evaluated by comparing the performance in Calculus and Physics of students who have participated in the restructured program with that of students who participated in FEP before the restructuring.

This project is part of a long-term program to transform undergraduate education in the College which will include formation of a Department of Engineering Education (DEE) to lead and coordinate undergraduate education in the College, especially during the critical first two years. The results of this project will help determine the effect that teaching methods, advising, and mentoring have on retention to graduation and on performance in the workplace for students at UC. The knowledge and methods developed will help address the growing need for engineers in Ohio and in the nation.

This three year REU Site program in "Sustainable Urban Environments" (SUE) at the University of Cincinnati (UC) will focus on techniques to study Access to Clean Water, Renewable Energy Sources, Carbon-Sequestration Methods, and Improved Urban Infrastructure. The research projects selected for the REU Site are motivated by four of the Grand Challenges for Engineering produced by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The goal of this eight-week summer REU Site program is to provide undergraduate students with research training and seminars and workshops on the use of modern technology in conducting and disseminating cross-disciplinary research. The program intends to encourage talented undergraduates to enroll in graduate school by exposing them to research. Students will be placed in teams and guided on a research project by faculty member(s) and a doctoral student. They will participate in a seminar series to train them to conduct research and participate in interactive workshops to provide the research skills to disseminate their findings. Each team will make biweekly presentations and progress reports, and at the end of the program present a technical paper, poster and power-point presentation. The participants will be encouraged to engage in co-authored presentations and publications that make significant contributions to their field of research in the new emerging areas of SUE. Students will also participate in coordinated social and scholastic activities including: 1) a university-wide welcome picnic; 2) a week-long annual Undergraduate Research Poster Forum (URPF), which includes poster presentations, an awards banquet, a distinguished guest lecture, ?People?s Choice Awards, ? and GRE preparation session; and 3) e-journal of papers to disseminate research with UC undergraduate students as co-authors. Finally, pre- and post-surveys by participants and evaluations by judges will be used to conduct the formative and summative assessments.

The REU Site program will introduce undergraduates from diverse engineering backgrounds to engineering and science. This hands-on interdisciplinary laboratory/computer simulation research experience is expected to help in recruiting and retaining students in engineering or science programs. The research projects selected also show how engineers solve problems for society at large, which will be appealing to women and minorities who tend to choose pathways leading to careers that improve quality of life generally. The program will encourage talented undergraduates to enroll in graduate school by exposing them to research. Since 50% of the participants recruited will be minorities and women, the project will increase the number of underrepresented graduate students involved in research.

The Cincinnati Engineering Enhanced Mathematics and Science Program (CEEMS) is led by the University of Cincinnati as the higher education Core Partner in Partnership with fourteen Core Partner school districts: Cincinnati Public Schools, Oak Hills, Princeton, Norwood, Winton Woods, and a Rural STEM Consortium of nine school districts. CEEMS works to meet the growing need for engineering-educated teachers who are equipped to provide learners with opportunities to achieve recently revised Ohio State Science Standards juxtaposed with Universal Skills (21st Century Learning Skills). These standards are centered in "real world application: connections to engineering." To address this local, regional, state, and evolving national need, CEEMS offers four professional development pathways to teacher preparedness: 1. Masters in Curriculum and Instruction (CI) degree with Engineering Education (MCIEE) specialization; 2. Summer Institute for Teachers (SIT); 3. Education Pathway with Licensure for Engineering (EPLE) majors; and 4. Engineering Education Pathway for Career Changers (EEPCC).

The key to these pathways are eight new courses focusing on engineering and science content, and design and challenge-based pedagogy. Leveraging these courses in combination with existing Course and Curriculum Master's of Education pedagogical courses, CEEMS develops and deploys two pathways for in-service teachers (MICEE degree and SIT with certificate) and three pathways for pre-service teachers (MICEE degree with licensure, dual undergraduate engineering degree with teaching licensure, and teaching licensure for professionals with a STEM undergraduate degree). Preparation of SIT participants allows them to (1) integrate the materials into the courses they teach and (2) disseminate and provide professional development to their colleagues through a district-level "teacher leaders" dissemination program and a regional annual STEM education conference. With this tiered approach, CEEMS is reaching a total of 1,925 teachers (160 pre-service and 1,765 in-service) over five years. These teachers are impacting more than 38,500 7-12 grade students per year.

The five implementation goals of this engineering-based CEEMS MSP are to: (1) Improve 7-12 student science and mathematics achievement to prepare for and increase interest in the college study of engineering or other STEM careers; (2) Develop mathematics and science teacher knowledge of engineering and the engineering design and challenge-based instruction process through explicit training and classroom implementation support; (3) Recruit engineering undergraduates as science or mathematics teachers through involvement in teaching experiences with younger college students in the schools and through a succinct licensure program; (4) Recruit career changers to science or mathematics teaching through succinct licensure programs; and (5) Build a collaborative sustainable education licensure STEM degree-granting infrastructure positively impacting the entire region.

CEEMS is firmly rooted in current research in the fields of science, mathematics and engineering education. It affords a much-needed opportunity to study how students learn mathematics and science if engineering is used as the context.

The CEEMS research effort uses a mixed method design to respond to the following questions: (1) How do students in a design and challenge-based learning environment engage in decision making, strategic planning, evaluation and revision of plans, creative thinking, and task persistence? (2) How do students in design and challenge-based learning environments perceive their involvement in STEM careers? (3) What measures and instruments are most effective at capturing and documenting these learning tasks? (4) How are the teachers' gains in knowledge of engineering transferred into instructional plans? (5) What supports and barriers do teachers encounter as they implement their plans with students? and (6) How do the knowledge gains and implementation factors impact the teachers' pedagogical content knowledge?

This award provides funding for a three year standard award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science Site program at the University of Cincinnati (UC) entitled, RET Site on "Challenge-Based Learning and Engineering Design Process (EDP) Enhanced Research Experiences for Middle and High School In-Service Teachers", under the direction of Dr. Anant Kukreti, Director for Engineering Outreach, College of Engineering and Applied Science.

This proposal establishes a RET Site for a total of 36 (12 per year) STEM in-service middle and high school teachers in Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) and Engineering Design Process (EDP) pedagogy. The goals are three fold: 1) To educate, cultivate, and enrich science and math teachers' content delivery in their classrooms by exploring the engineering design-and challenge for 7-weeks during the summer. 2) To improve grades 7-12 students' science and math achievement and stimulate interest in STEM careers as a result of better instruction and curriculum delivered by participating teachers trained in engineering content and design-based instruction. 3) To support participating teachers in becoming role models by applying their research experiences in their classrooms and communicating them effectively to their colleagues. The RET Site builds on the proven success of 2 NSF RET Sites, 5 NSF REU Sites, and 2 RET Supplements.

This RET Site broadens the impact of the current Cincinnati Engineering Enhanced Mathematics and Science Program (CEEMS), a NSF Targeted Math & Science Partnership (MSP) Program grant, which includes 14 Ohio school districts with 73,392 students and 4,709 teachers. This RET Site includes 14 non-CEEMS school districts (12 in Ohio and 2 in Kentucky) with 72,546 students and 4,369 teachers. Since RET and CEEMS teachers both develop and test curriculum design, teaching techniques, and student learning modalities using CBL-EDP pedagogy and include 71.1% of the students regionally in Ohio, collectively they will clearly impact the way math and science curricula are delivered to meet new standards regionally.

This S-STEM project provides scholarships and support to a diverse cohort of 32 low income Biomedical, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (BCEE) students at the University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) who pursue either a research preparation or an entrepreneurship focus. The project aims to prepare a diverse groups of students to excel in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world as future faculty, engineers, and technology managers in educational institutions, existing companies, as well as leaders in starting new, technology-based companies.

This project offers BCEE S-STEM scholars four tracks: 1) a MS-ACCEND degree program, in which students earn both BS and MS degrees in engineering; 2) a new Graduate School Preparation track to prepare students earning a BS degree to enter MS and PhD programs; 3) a MBA-ACCEND program, in which students earn both BS and MBA degrees as well as a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship; and 4) a new Professional Preparation track in which students earn a BS degree and a Minor in Entrepreneurship to prepare them for entrepreneurial activities after graduation. The project implements four strategies to support and prepare its scholars: cohort building, career driven education, networking, and a defined pathway to graduate school. An E-Portfolio tool, previously developed at the CEAS, is used to track student performance and participation and to identify students who need early intervention. The tracks serve as models for programs seeking to incorporate research methods and discovery-based education to improve retention of students in dual-degree programs (BS-MS and BS-MBA), integrate research training into undergraduate engineering education, and streamline acquisition of the skills needed for technical and entrepreneurial innovation.

Common core standards across the United States have elevated educational requirements and demands of teachers. The new curriculum, particularly in science, includes the engineering design process as a core idea spanning problem definition, solution generation, and design optimization. Discovery of scientific principles via ?technology? experiments and the importance of hands-on, real world projects are stressed. Teachers are struggling to incorporate engineering design challenges into their classroom as it has been completely lacking in teacher training programs offered by colleges of education across the nation and there is a dearth of options being created to fill this gap. This proposal is partially motivated from multiple requests from school districts outside of the Cincinnati Engineering Enhanced Math and Science (CEEMS) targeted partnership to provide their math and science teachers with training in challenge-based learning (CBL) and engineering design process (EDP).

The Cincinnati Engineering Enhanced Math and Science Program has developed and implemented a successful professional development model to train secondary teachers to integrate challenge-based learning and the engineering design process into the teaching of math and science content. The training was developed in response to new state and national standards. Key components include: 1) providing teachers multiple opportunities to experience engineering design challenges, 2) empowering teachers through ongoing coaching support, and 3) engaging students through hands-on activities and allowing choices to project selection and design. CEEMS is firmly rooted in current research in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering education and is based on studies on how students learn mathematics and science if engineering is used as the context.

This Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program, Engineering Design Challenges and Research Experiences for Secondary and Community College Teachers, at the University of Cincinnati (UC), creates opportunities for secondary school instructors of engineering, math, physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science from 15 local school districts and faculty from 5 local community colleges to participate in ongoing research projects conducted by professors of engineering at UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science. Recruitment will focus on both minority teachers and districts with high minority populations so that a benefit of improving diversity in future STEM professions may be impacted. Taking their newly acquired research knowledge back to the classroom, participants will create and implement units of instruction that tie the research to the curriculum, encourage team work and problem-solving, and link science and math to real world applications. By doing so, they will inspire and encourage students to continue taking coursework in STEM disciplines and pursue careers in STEM fields.

Over a 7-week period each summer, UC will host a cohort of 10 secondary school teachers and 3 community college faculty participants from schools that encompass a diverse population of students. The program goals are to: 1) educate and enrich science and math RET participants' content delivery in their classrooms by exploring the engineering design-and-challenge instructional process and the critical research skills used by engineers to solve open-ended real-world problems, 2) improve grades 6-14 student science and math achievement and stimulate interest in STEM careers as a result of better instruction delivered by RET participants trained in engineering content and design-based instruction, and 3) support RET participants in becoming leaders by applying their research experiences in their classrooms and communicating those experiences to their peers. Five engineering research project topics will provide research experiences addressing National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Grand Challenges in Water, Energy, Brain, Infrastructure and Cyberspace. An Engineering Faculty Member and a Graduate Research Assistant will mentor a team of two participants; a RET Resource Person will train, support, and critique the work of the participants; and an Engineering Education Resource Person will educate the teachers on engineering disciplines and occupations, how engineers use the design process to solve real world challenges, and assist them in the development of an appropriate engineering challenge for their own classes. Each participant will develop a unique curricular unit and poster and each team will produce a research project report which includes a classroom implementation plan, a PowerPoint presentation, a short research video, and a draft of a journal article during the summer. Each participant will implement the curricular unit in at least one classroom during the following academic year. Results will be disseminated to other participants through a dedicated website and a regional Annual STEM Conference.