2019 - 2021
“Fostering and Increasing Participation in Geospatial Technology and STEM
at Minority Serving Institutions”
The project is designed to meet the objectives of the NASA-EONS program: the education of students with 21st-century knowledge and skills to create a world class-workforce that will make significant contributions to the emerging and growing geospatial industry. Proposed activities will focus on spring workshops for middle and high school students from minority populations in the Bronx and Brooklyn, NY who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM studies and careers. On-campus workshops will focus on geospatial technology and STEM activities developed using NASA’s rich online resources and state-of-the-art equipment at the BCC Geospatial Center of the CUNY CREST Institute (BGCCCI) and Science Core Facilities at Medgar Evers College. Workshops will include guest lectures by experts who will showcase geospatial and STEM applications. Family Cafés will engage parents and teach them skills to support their students in geospatial technology and STEM career pursuits. Middle and high school participants will learn competitive hands-on skills working with NASA toolsets. Professional development workshops for educators will provide technical assistance to help them integrate geospatial technology into STEM education in their schools by developing students’ spatial thinking, cognition, and literacy. Work product stemming from this project will include innovative learning materials, new curricula, assessments based on federally endorsed standards, and the development of articulation agreements to provide opportunities for students to seamlessly transfer from one partner institution to the other.
Lead Institution - BCC - CUNY
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sunil Bhaskaran
Collaborating Institute - MEC - CUNY
Contact: Dr. Shin Jin
