The Marine Technology for Teachers and Students (MaTTS) program provides opportunities for teams of teachers and students from southern New England to experience new technologies related to exploring the global ocean, discover pathways in marine careers using these new tools, and develop leadership capacity. These interventions are being evaluated to determine their impact on the skills, knowledge, practices, and attitudes of the teachers and students that are related to the STEM workforce. Partner school districts include high-need schools.

The Memphis Virtual STEM Academy at East High School project investigates the implementation of a virtual STEM curriculum that utilizes self-paced modules, face-to-face STEM laboratory projects, and field experiences designed to help students (grades 9-12) understand pre-engineering concepts and principles as well as develop an interest in and motivation to pursue STEM and ICT careers.

The University of Nebraska partners with the National Center for Research on Rural Education, The Center for Science, Mathematics & Computer Education (UNL), and Nebraska's 18 Educational Service Units (ESU 1-ESU 18) to utilize distance education and communication technologies to provide university outreach opportunities to students and teachers through science research to high schools in Nebraska.

The Howard University multimedia educational pilot project will design, develop, and test an innovative science education model and materials to motivate high school students in grades 10-11 to become interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by learning physics, astronomy, and cosmology (PAC) in multi-modal innovative ways.

This project is creating a replicable, prototype community-based model for engaging middle and high school students in challenge-based programs such as robotics competitions (Botball and iARoC), engineering challenges (Kid Wind), and research events (Sea Perch). The project is serving 110 teachers and 750 students representing 7 school districts and 75 schools. Partners include organizations that broadly represent the science educational institutions of the San Diego area. There is a cadre of volunteer STEM professionals who are mentoring teachers and students.

Smart Clothing, Smart Girls is a strategy proposal using apparel design as a vehicle to attract middle school girls to STEM learning and engineering careers. Based on a theoretical framework that supports mechanisms for engaging young, female participants in STEM, the project team has thoughtfully designed an intervention that is hands-on, collaborative, and relevant - all combinations that have shown to improve how girls develop STEM identities, build self efficacy, and become motivated to pursue STEM-related activities.

This Learning and Research Center will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by providing technical support to all ITEST projects, facilitating national dissemination of ITEST project outcomes, and further developing the ITEST research and development community.

The Physics Department at Queensborough Community College runs the "Laser Academy for High School Science Teachers," building on the success of the "Laser Scademy for High School Students." Photonics—the study of optics, lasers and fiber optics —is a technical field where the shortage of qualified personnel is particularly acute. The Laser Academy for teachers will offer science teachers opportunities to learn about, experience and use information technologies within the context of photonics. The teachers will then integrate this content into their physical science lessons.

Bioinformatics: the Rutgers Initiative in Teacher Enhancement (BRITE) is an NSF ITEST Comprehensive Project that involves teachers and their students. BRITE invites high school teachers to participate in, and contribute to, a series of scientific "Challenges" posted over the World Wide Web, the answers to which require using the computational tools of molecular biology, structural biology, and bioinformatics. Over the period of the grant, BRITE will work closely with teachers participating in a Local Project and remotely with teachers who participate in a Regional Project.

Rutgers University will provide a comprehensive project in molecular biology and bioinformatics that engages high school teachers and students in DNA sequencing research. More than 75 teachers will participate in the project and approximately 30 students per year will attend the summer program and 300 additional students will engage in the Project during each academic year.