Santa Cruz-Watsonville Inquiry-Based Learning in Environmental Sciences is an exciting new graduate training program at the University of California Santa Cruz in partnership with Watsonville High School. The National Science Foundation has awarded the University of California Santa Cruz a $2.1 million, 5-year grant (NSF GK-12 DGE-0947923, 2010-2015) to support graduate student researchers in environmental sciences, to train them to effectively communicate with non-scientists about science, and to enrich science education in our schools.

The program partners UCSC graduate students in Environmental Studies and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with teachers at Watsonville High School, particularly in the Environmental Science and Natural Resources Academy (ESNR).   Together, they work as co-researchers in the field and in the lab, develop and implement inquiry-based science curricula, and inspire new generations of environmental problem-solvers. 

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Professor Ingrid Parker (left) guides an intensive inquiry field project
during the summer workshop, assessing the relationship of flower colors and shapes to bee visitation.
Watsonville High School teacher Tracey Runeare and SCWIBLES Fellows Jennie Ohayon
and Beth Bastiaans study types of bees.

Highlights

The New York Times reports on "smart collars"from the Santa Cruz Puma Project,
Yiwei Wang's PhD research

SCWIBLES Fellow
Tara Cornelisseawarded
Switzer Fellowship!

KUSP Radio Feature:
"Elkhorn Slough Becomes Classroom for Local High School Students"

Register-Pajaronian
"Green Careers"



Science in a Minute Video:
"Convergent Evolution, Or The Many Roads to Forked Tails, Lost Limbs, and Spiny Stems"

Our poster
for the 2011 NSF GK-12 conference
(Abstract)

 
Check out the ESNR Website!

 SRFP Workshop: Foundations in Science Inquiry