This project will enable high school and middle school STEM teachers and students to conduct environmental research aided by the analysis of images from digital cameras, scanners, and the Internet. The project explores how digital image analysis can be applied to environmental quality issues that can readily be introduced into STEM courses, engaging students and encouraging them to think about related careers. The project will develop research agendas that will employ a variety of image analysis tools.

The Barcode of Life Initiative (BOLI) is an international biodiversity collaboration that creates a genetic encyclopedia of Earth's plants and animals using short DNA sequences that uniquely identify species groups. The goal of this strategies project is to interest students in STEM careers by engaging them in an international project to provide identification of biological species.

The project leaders will guide high school students through a mathematics-based, programming experience which prepares them to subsequently teach mathematics and programming to middle school students. Using a "drag and drop" programming language, the participants will explore mathematical concepts. Products of the project will include two modules, the first using video games based on existing mathematics games and the second using simulations to explore social issues.

This "scale-up" project uses engineering as well as science to bring engineering experiences to underrepresented communities. The investigators will build under water robots, create social networks, and produce a webcast. This project is based on evidence gained from a previous ITEST Strategies grant (ESI-0624709) that showed that an underwater robotics curriculum can increase student learning of science and engineering concepts, their practice of 21st century skills such as problem-solving and collaboration, their enjoyment of science, and their engineering career interest.

The Museum Tech Academy provides enrichment in archaeology, natural sciences, and information technology for 90 low-income Springfield-area students in grades 7 through 12. This three-year, after-school and summer program engages students in the full process of scientific research from problem formulation to the presentation of results in a variety of media.

The Pulsar Search Collaboratory project (PSC) will engage 60 West Virginia teachers and 600 students in world class research in radio astronomy through the analysis of data collected using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT).

Nature Works Studios is a three-year, youth-based program for 45 Chicago area youth. It is a year-round program with a summer component that focuses on environmental science and technology education. There is a major focus on job skills training together with work experience that respond to the general labor shortage for well-prepared science and technology professionals to fuel the 21st Century economy.

The Conference on Cyberlearning Tools for STEM (CyTSE) brings together scientists, cyberlearning developers, educational researchers, STEM educators (formal and informal), curriculum developers and other stakeholders that contribute to the agenda on K-12 STEM cyberlearning and workforce preparation. Collaborators include Northwestern University, University of Colorado at Boulder, and the WGBH Educational Foundation. This informative meeting will be held as a NSTA pre-conference workshop.