BIORETS: Research Experiences for Advancing Curriculum on Hawaiian Ecosystem Sciences (REACHES)

This BIORETS Site (called Research Experiences for Advancing Curriculum on Hawaiian Ecosystem Sciences or REACHES) award to Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii, will support the training of eight teachers each year for seven weeks during the summer and at least two weeks during the academic year. High school and community college teachers from Hawaii’s underserved schools will be recruited during 2024-2026. A disproportionate number of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students attend schools with majority population of people excluded because of their ethnicity, race, or sex (PEERS). Engaging PEERS expands capacity and opportunities for participation in conservation science and STEM fields through place-based authentic research experiences that allow for use of Hawaiian examples for learning science standards. In collaboration with the Hawaii Department of Education (HDOE) and other partners, teachers will deepen their science literacy and understanding to translate these experiences into classroom curriculum and hands-on research activities, engaging a broader diversity of students. Participants will come from diverse cultural, economic, and generational backgrounds, and effective learning occurs where they feel welcome, accepted, and seen. The PIs and partners for REACHES will strive to create a safe learning environment and provide internal (mentors) and external (human resources) support network to promote diversity and inclusivity. The thematic focus of REACHES is on ecosystem sciences through the lens of land snail ecology, conservation, and Hawaiian cultural values. Teachers will be integrated into captive rearing and genomic research in Malacology and the Pacific Center for Molecular Biodiversity at the museum to address questions about life history, diet, behavior, and biodiversity. Hawaiian cultural practitioners will provide training for incorporating cultural practices and values into research and teaching, thus expanding participation and helping perpetuate "aloha aina" (love of the land). Applications and requirements will be available on the NSF ETAP site with links disseminated via the HDOE website. Applications will be reviewed by PIs, cultural practitioners, and education specialists, and applicants will be interviewed prior to selecting participants in the program. 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.