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.

This Rutgers University project, Conducting Authentic Molecular Biology and Genomics Research (MBGR) in High Schools, is a three-year strategies-based ITEST project that provides avenues for science teachers and their students to become part of, and contribute to, authentic research in biotechnology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. Teachers and students will use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to analyze their experimental findings and publish their results in databases used by scientists throughout the world.

This project introduces 4th and 5th grade students and teachers to engineering design and associated mathematics by developing and implementing a new, scalable, personal fabrication laboratory, the Classroom FabLab, and supporting curriculum. The University of Virginia and the University of North Texas are providing preparation in personal fabrication to pre-service teachers in their methods courses. The pre-service teachers are doing their student teaching under master teachers trained by the project in ten classrooms in Virginia and five in Texas.

National Middle School Aerospace Scholars (NaMAS) will provide both teachers and students in eight states the opportunity to learn about and experience information technologies and how they are used within the context of STEM applications in the exciting high technology aerospace industry. NaMAS will include teacher-training workshops, live-link events from NASA-Johnson Space Center, and a robot building student event.

Project LA COSTA was a three-year, youth-based ITEST project sponsored by the Texas State University - San Marcos. The project created a computer science academy to provide IT experiences for 250 Hispanic students during their 8th-10th grades across 5 central and south Texas school districts. Students will start on the project beginning with 8th grade and continue until they are in 10th grade. The project is named "LA COSTA," which implies "a vocational vista for students".

This Strategies project seeks to provide year round programming following an intensive summer camp for teachers and students from middle schools in a rural area. It proposes to build on the Games that Teach research at MIT, and the games research of the Digital Collaboratory at UT-Austin, to give teachers the skills they need to design educational game components in team situations with students. The approach is to use 3-D visualizations, physics engines and other gaming strategies to relate abstract math and science concepts to real world phenomenon.

M-SOS-W: Middle Schoolers out to Save the World in this project, approximately 600 sixth graders from seven middle schools in Louisiana, Maine, Texas and Vermont are monitoring home energy use under supervision of their (14) teachers. The data are being used to develop optimum scenarios for conserving energy and reducing production of greenhouses gases in local communities. The teachers are receiving professional development to carry out the project.

Over a two-year period, this project will offer 70 middle and high school youths activities in information technology (IT) and science, technology engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Three interlinked studios will support the workplan. The studios include the Studio@Museum located in the heart of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History that will provide space for engaging in and displaying hands-on activities and the Studio@Timble Technical High School that will donate staff support and space for after school activities.

"IT Girl" is an innovative youth-based program designed to engage middle and high school girls in building competency and interest in science, technology, engineering and math careers through collaborative technology and science-intensive projects in game development and information visualization. The project triangulates Girlstart's successful program structure of after-school activities, Saturday and summer technology camps, intensive parent involvement, field experiences, with innovative curricula in visualization and game development.