EarthComm: A NGSS-aligned curriculum for Earth-system thinking

On July 31, 2025, Lehigh University’s Mountaintop Campus hosted its annual Summer Research Day Expo, a showcase of nearly 100 student projects across science, engineering, social impact, and entrepreneurship. For the first time, fellows from the Lehigh University Research Translation AcceLUrator (RTA) Bootcamp joined the event, presenting six projects developed during their 10-week program. Among them, RTA fellow Jeremiah Akalu stood out for his award-winning machine learning research on real-time electric power system resiliency. Akalu, a fellow from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, presented not one but two posters on his team’s Seed Translation Research Project (STRP). Working under the guidance of Dr. Javad (Pouya) Khazaei, alongside teammates Mehdi Akbari and Maral Shadei (who were simultaneously presenting related work at the IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting in Austin, Texas), Akalu showcased research aimed at improving the reliability and resilience of modern power systems. The team’s project has two promising applications. One, in partnership with the Department of Naval Research, explores how to track and regulate the status of Navy ships. The other uses machine learning to simulate urban power systems, including electricity, water, and transportation networks, to predict vulnerabilities and protect critical infrastructure. This is specifically honed in for emergency preparedness in the event of severe weather or other potential catastrophic events. Akalu received first place in the Research Day Awards for the Research Category. The recognition highlighted not only the rigor of the team’s work but also Akalu’s ability to communicate complex technical concepts in a clear and compelling way as the sole presenter at the expo. This accomplishment also highlights the growing impact of the Research Translation AcceLUrator, which provides fellows with the tools and mentorship to move their research beyond the lab. Through this summer bootcamp’s resources, like the RTA Speaker Series, NSF’s I-Corps™ training, and guidance from faculty such as Dr. Khazaei, Akalu and his team are already translating their work into practice. Currently piloted to monitor Lehigh University’s own power systems, the research is poised to expand to larger-scale applications in the years ahead. #LehighUniversity #LehighRTA #NSFfunded #ResearchDay #SummerResearch #ResearchTranslation #InnovationInAction #EnergyResilience #MachineLearning #STEMResearch #ResearchToImpact

New NAEP data shows 8th graders in the US lost ground in science from 2019-2024. Scores dropped across all areas — physical, life, earth & space sciences. Inquiry-based learning and traditional resources are down; screens are up. And fewer students feel science is interesting or useful. It’s time to rethink how we teach science! Source: Schwartz, S. (2025, September 10). What’s behind the drop in students’ science scores on NAEP? Education Week. https://lnkd.in/eFPpc_Nr

How do you turn years of PhD research into a clear, engaging story for everyone? Lokesh Jain did it in just three minutes - and won the Three Minutes Thesis (3MT) 2025 competition at The University of Edinburgh! His talk, "Ice Mélange: The Cork in the Glacial Bottle" not only earned him first place, but also the People's Choice Award! 🎉 The 3MT challenges PhD researchers to present their work to a non-specialist audience, with just one slide and three minutes on the clock. It’s a real test of clarity, creativity, and communication. In this video, Lokesh - currently undertaking a PhD in Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences in the School of GeoSciences - reflects on his 3MT experience, the importance of science communication and the next steps. We also hear from his supervisor Dr Donald Slater, who supported and encouraged him throughout the competition. We wish Lokesh every success as he goes on to the next stage! 👉 You can also watch his full talk here: https://lnkd.in/gUSF7ym4 College of Science and Engineering, The University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh Institute for Academic Development #3MT #ScienceCommunication

Why 71% of Earth is Covered by Water: A Grade 8 Science Exploration. Dive into the wonders of Earth’s surface in this exciting video made for Grade 8 learners. Discover why nearly 71% of our planet is covered by water while only 29% is land. With engaging animations and simple explanations, students will explore oceans, seas, major landforms, and the role of water in a shaping climate. This video makes earth science concepts easy to grasp, helping students understand the importance of the water-to-land ratio on our planet.

Sea-Bird Scientific, a Veralto Water Quality company, teamed up with the University of Washington's Ocean Technology Program, a global leader in for research and development, to test its Deep SeapHOx™ V2 pH sensor in freshwater environments.   Students gained hands-on experience deploying cutting-edge technology, validating data, and presenting findings at symposiums.   We're proud to engage with the local community and provide opportunities that can help empower the STEM leaders of tomorrow.   Read the full case study: https://lnkd.in/eAMTbv7W #WeAreVeralto #SeaBirdScientific #STEM

🍎 As students are settling into their classrooms this fall 🍂, we’re reflecting on our own “school days” earlier this year at the 2025 ARM Open Science Summer School in #Alabama. In May, 21 students joined 16 instructors (including former #ARMSummerSchool attendee Sid Gupta, Argonne National Laboratory) for a week of learning, collaboration, and discovery at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. From hands-on tutorials with ARM’s open-source tools to a tour of the Bankhead National Forest (#ARMBNF) atmospheric observatory, participants gained firsthand experience connecting #ARMData with state-of-the-art modeling to learn more about atmospheric processes. 🌦️ 🎥 Check out the video to learn how Gupta's time as an ARM summer school student helped him on his career journey.

Assistant professors Yue Dong (computer science and engineering) and Amanda Rupiper (chemical and environmental engineering) have been named 2025–26 Hellman Fellows. Their innovative research spans trustworthy artificial intelligence and sustainable water and energy use—tackling some of today’s most urgent global challenges. The Hellman Fellowship provides early-career faculty with critical support to advance their research on the path to tenure. Read more about their work: https://ow.ly/UasP50WQSvc #EngineeringResearch #HigherEd #AcademicExcellence

🔬 T&L Spotlight: Science Teacher Notes 🔭 Discover fresh resources and PD opportunities from the GaDOE Science Team! 🔗https://lnkd.in/ggQqc3zQ 📌 Upcoming RESA sessions & virtual workshops 📚 On-demand courses via Georgia Learns 🧠 New tools: Earth Systems Teacher Notes, Formative Assessment guides & more 👉 Stay inspired and elevate your science instruction: Explore the latest! #GaDOE #gateachers #GaDOETL #GeorgiaEducators #TeacherLeader #InspireLearning #EducationMatters #TLSpotlight #GaDOEInspire #GaScience #STEMGeorgia #ScienceInGA #NextGenScience #Gadoescience

Looking for curriculum resources that give students opportunities to engage with real-world oceanographic data? The IOOS Association K-12 toolkit is a free online resource available in English and Spanish: https://lnkd.in/gm6xuRTJ SCCOOS is proud to have assisted with development of the Marine HAB Detective activity (pg. 49-61), where students can utilize our HAB data portal (https://lnkd.in/ghQzhq2h) and C-HARM model (https://lnkd.in/gfg2k_Yi).

In Case You Missed It: S-STEM Impact: Insights from Scholars and Projects. Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) is a congressionally mandated National Science Foundation (NSF) program to expand access to STEM education and careers for academically talented students from low-income backgrounds. In our recent report, one of our key takeaways indicated that S-STEM projects may benefit from additional support to engage scholars early in their development. Check out the report, webinar recording, and other resources today: https://lnkd.in/ehsixafA