Innovation in Urban Science Education

Current and Recent Grants

Principal Investigator: Seeding the Future:  Growing an Urban Youth Food Justice Ambassador Core Through Hydroponics. Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, $39,000, Fall 2015 – Summer 2016

Principal Investigator: A Strategies Project: An Integrated Approach to Creating STEM Career Pathways. National Science Foundation, $1,198,141.00, 01/01/2016 – 12/31/19

Co-Principal Investigator: iCREAT: A pathway to middle-skill positions through the Introduction to Coding, Robotics, Electronics, And Technology, National Science Foundation, $891,999 (PI: Shamsi Moussavi, Massachusetts Bay Community College), 09/01/15 – 09/31/18

Principal Investigator:  Seeding the Future: Growing urban youth’s interest in science and agriculture through hydroponics, National Institute for Food and Agriculture, $221,421 + $221,421 in matching funds from partner companies (Co-PIs: David Blustein (BC), Jameson Chace (Salve Regina University). 10/01/15 – 09/30/18

Principal Investigator: A Strategies Project – Seeding the Future: Creating a Green Collar Workforce through Learning about Indoor Urban Farming Technologies and Alternative Energy Sources, National Science Foundation, $1,196,580.00 (Co-PIs – David Blustein, Elizabeth Bagnani, Cathering Wong, Eric Strauss) 07/01/14 – 06/30/17

Principal Investigator:  Connecting undergraduate research with the public through innovative technologies, $199,714. National Science Foundation, Fall 2012 – Spring 2015.

Principal Investigator:  Seeding the Future: Growing STEM learning and interest through hydroponic food production, $246,524. National Science Foundation, Fall 2012 – Fall 2016.

 Principal Investigator: IT and College Pathways through application of Technology to explore Urban Ecological Challenges, $1,499,812.00. National Science Foundation. Fall 2008 – Fall 2013

 Co-Principal Investigator. Improving Teacher Content Knowledge through Field Studies. Summer 2008 – Fall 2011. Funder: Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, $319,999.  Principal Investigator:  Dr. Eric Strauss, Co-principal Investigators:  Frank Reese

 Co-Principal Investigator: Urban Ecology and Information Technology, National Science Foundation, Fall 2007 – Fall 2009, $79,847. This is a supplemental grant for our existing NSF ITEST grant to conduct research on student persistence in STEM careers. PI: David Blustein. Other Co-PIs: Kate McNeill.

 Co-Principal Investigator: Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). Fall 2007 – Fall 2008, $60,000. This grant provides additional support and funding for the existing educational seismology program.  This grant builds upon the work of an earlier NSF grants and school district based grants.  Principal Investigator: Alan Kafka. Other Co-PIs: John Ebel

 Principal Investigator: Exploratory Research in Urban Schools using an Ecological Science-Based Video Game, Fall 2006 – Spring 2007, $17,000 (Subcontract through Indiana University). This project focuses on implementing and researching the impact of an academic video game on student learning outcomes. This grant was a direct result from the work conducted through funding with the Boston College Collaborative Fund.

 Principal Investigator: Development Of An Integrated Pathway For Urban Stem Teaching and Learning In Grades 5-8, $800,000, National Science Foundation, Spring 2007 – Summer 2010. This grant focuses on the development of urban ecology field materials that are sequenced to improve students’ learning of ecological concepts from grade five through eight. Co-Principal Investigators: Dr. Eric Strauss, Boston College. Other Co-principal Investigators:  Dr. Kate McNeill (Boston College), Mr. Charles Lord (Urban Ecology Institute)

 Co-Principal Investigator: Urban Ecology Course Materials Created with a Universal Design for Learning Framework, $2,093,000, National Science Foundation, Fall 2006 – Fall 2009.  This project focuses on the development and implementation of a year-long interdisciplinary curriculum on urban ecology.  PI: Dr. Eric Strauss, Boston College. Other Co-principal Investigators:  Dr. Kate McNeill (Boston College), Mr. Charles Lord (Urban Ecology Institute), and Dr. Tracey Hall (Center for Applied Special Technologies)

 Co-Principal Investigator: Transforming Elementary Science Learning through LEGO(TM) Engineering Design, $1,000,000, National Science Foundation, REESE program, Fall 2006 – Fall 2011. This program will track how design and engineering education project supports students learning of physics concepts from 1^st to 5^th grade and in elementary teacher preparation programs.  Principal Investigator:  Dr. Chris Rogers (Tufts University). Subcontract of $225,000 through Tufts University.

Principal Investigator: Urban Ecology and Information Technology for Students and Teachers, $1,345,000.00, National Science Foundation, Fall 2005 – Fall 2008. This is a collaborative project with the Urban Ecology Institute, Department of Environmental Studies, and The Department of Counseling Psychology in the Lynch School of Education.  Co-Principal Investigators: Eric Strauss (BC, A&S), Charles Lord (UEI, A&S), David Blustein (LSOE), and Maureen Kenney (A&S).

 Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Laboratory Exercises in Seismology: An Invitation to the World of Science Research, $177,200.00, National Science Foundation, September 2003 – September 2005. This work entails the development and implementation of laboratory exercises and a student research project that are based on seismograms recorded by a simple, inexpensive AS1 seismograph and on earthquake information available on the Internet from global monitoring of earthquakes. These learning experiences invite students into the world of scientific research by inquiry-based learning through investigation of what is recorded by seismographs Principal Investigator: Alan Kafka (Department of Geology and Geophysics).

 Principal-Investigator, Women in Science and the Environment, $24,500.00, United States Department of Education, Spring 2005 – Fall 2006.  This is a sub-contract through the Boston Public Schools to better understand how project based learning influences girls and boys interest toward science and how such learning environments improve student achievement. Co-Principal Investigator: Thomas Higginbotham.

 Total Awards: $419,506

 Principal Investigator: HP Technology Leadership Award, HP Foundation, Summer 2008 – Fall 2010, approximately ~$131,000. This grant provided the Lynch School of Education with a cutting edge computing facilities. This grant provided the school 40 tablet PCs and supporting peripherals as well as $20,000 in funds to purchase additional materials and support students. This grant was made possible through the work conducted through the NSF ITEST funded grant.

Principal Investigator: HP Technology Initiative, HP Foundation, Summer 2007 – Fall 2008, approximately ~$68,000. This grant provided the Lynch School of Education with a cutting edge computing facilities. This grant provided the school 21 tablet PCs and supporting peripherals as well as $19,000 in funds to purchase additional materials and support students. This grant was made possible through the work conducted through the NSF ITEST funded grant.

Co-Principal Investigator: Smith Foundation Capital Grant, Fall 2006 – Fall 2007, $45,760. This grant builds upon the ITEST NSF grant and provided funding for equipment which provided valuable support for the ITEST program because NSF did not permit the purchasing of equipment for our existing ITEST work.

Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $60,000 “Sea Lab Educational Seismology Project”, 6/1/04-9/30/07. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebe

 Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $6,700 Amesbury Middle School. $6,700, 6/1/04-9/30/07. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $8,430, Andover High School, 6/1/04-9/30/07. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

 Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $22,878.00, 6/1/04-9/30/05. Nashoba Valley Technical High School. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $2,500.00, 6/1/04-9/30/05. C.J. Prescott School. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $4,500.00, 6/1/04-9/30/05. Falmouth High School. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

 Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $3,941, 6/1/04-9/30/05. St. Peter Elementary School.  Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $19,978.00, 6/1/04-9/30/05. Pine Hill Elementary School.  Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $22,878.00, 6/1/04-9/30/05. Rochester memorial School. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel

Co-Principal Investigator, Inquiry-Based Learning through Recording Earthquakes in the Classroom: Inviting Students into the World of Science Research, $3,941, 6/1/04-9/30/05. Dr. Paul Nettle Middle School. Collaborators: Alan Kafka, John Ebel