Sunday, 20 January 2008
Fostering GK-12 International Activities between U.S. and Senegal Middle Schools
Exhibit Hall B (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
In an effort to involve fellows and teachers in international research experiences and foster collaboration between GK-12 scholars, the National Science Foundation GK-12 Program has designed an “International Activities” component, to highlight the efforts of projects that are engaged in international collaborations. During the 2006 NASA-African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA, July – September 2006) field campaign, a Howard University NSF GK-12 fellow worked in conjunction with several national and international scientists. The international research experience based in Senegal, West Africa and Sal, Cape Verde, was designed to study several areas of the atmospheric sciences, including hurricane genesis, the Saharan air layer, and precipitation processes over West Africa during the monsoon season. During the 2006-2007 academic year, several presentations were developed for middle school students at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy, Washington, DC on research activities conducted in Africa. Contact with two middle schools in Dakar, Senegal (The International School of Dakar; Lours Sainte Marie De Hann) and Univérsité Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) was initiated in June 2007. Future endeavors will include an exchange of teachers and fellows between the United States and Senegal to share in research and teaching experiences, as well as address various issues such as long-term drought, precipitation characteristics in a coastal environment, linkages to hurricanes and other studies, and differences in cultural and societal needs of K-12 students in Senegal vs. the United States.
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