Project Profile

Youth and their caregivers can play a critical role in rebuilding communities that are heavily impacted from natural disasters. Trauma informed STEM education can support youth and their communities to heal and recover during the aftermath of disasters. In this project, the Maui community and University of Hawaii researchers will collaborate to understand the role of STEM education in helping youth process the events in their community via content related to wildfires and their environmental impacts. ?In order to understand the causes and impacts of wildfires, youth need to be able to use environmental science concepts, mathematical practices, and data science tools. In traumatic situations, it is also important to work with the impacted community to develop and implement programs that will meet their needs. The project will begin by listening to and engaging with organizations and schools in the Maui community. The work in this RAPID project engages with the community in the early stages of the recovery process to understand what needs and resources will support STEM learning experiences.

The research for this project will investigate a process of collaboration with the community to engage trauma-informed STEM education. The research team has prior experience using the STEMS2 (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Sense of Place) framework for trauma-informed STEM education that engages community members in the process of learning about their resources and needs followed by the co-design of learning experiences. This process is potentially applicable to other contexts that have recently faced natural disasters as one way to help youth and their communities recover while engaging STEM content and practices. The research will rely on a set of qualitative talk stories, group conversations and interviews to understand the experiences and needs of youth, the community members, and educational organizations. The research in this phase represents the immediate responses and reactions to the wildfire and its impact on youth, their caregivers, and their communities. The project will work with K-12 students and partner organizations (e.g., schools, non-profit organizations).

This project is funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.