IOOS Association K-12 toolkit: Engage with oceanographic data

🌊Mission College students Kaylee Ly and Jen Valenzuela turned their passion for marine science into a life-changing research experience this summer through STEMSEAS, a program funded by the National Science Foundation that takes students from the classroom to the open sea. It all began with one marine biology class at Mission College taught by Jean Replicon. 💙 News story: https://lnkd.in/gbT--u-F Onboard, the students launched oceanographic sensors, toured the legendary HOV Alvin submersible, learned from working scientists, and gained the confidence to pursue careers in marine science. “The best thing you can do is put yourself out there,” Jen said. “Don’t let doubt or imposter syndrome hold you back. Opportunities like this can change everything.”

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

Deep sea research around Curaçao becomes teaching material for secondary schools WILLEMSTAD – An international team of marine scientists has completed a scientific expedition around Curaçao and has translated the research into free educational materials for secondary schools. The team, from the California Academy of Sciences and the CARMABI Foundation, explored the deep ocean up to 700 meters deep, with support from Inkfish Expeditions. The researchers studied the mesophotic coral ecosystem down to 150 meters deep and its relationship with shallower coral reefs. They also explored the mesopelargian twilight zones deeper than 200 meters. The expedition reached a depth of approximately 700 meters—almost twice the height of Mount Christoffel. These zones lie in total darkness under extreme pressure. They form a special habitat for unique life forms that have adapted to conditions where almost no other life exists. The team used advanced technology and new measurement methods to document life at these depths. From science to classroom The 2023 expedition not only yielded valuable scientific data but also resulted in practical educational materials. In collaboration with Carmabi Educación, the researchers developed a video, poster, and lesson series that align with the learning objectives and exam requirements for VSBO, HAVO, and VWO (pre-university secondary education). "At Carmabi Education, we create materials for local schools that are not only scientifically sound but also align with the school curriculum. This way, we bring the deep sea and coral reefs directly into the classroom," says Cor Hameete of Carmabi Education. Freely available Students can use the material to familiarize themselves with oceanographic research, marine biodiversity, and the importance of protecting fragile ecosystems. The video is available in Papiamento and English. The teaching materials can be downloaded for free from the Carmabi website or via this QR code: https://lnkd.in/erCaM8xU

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.

🔥 Igniting STEM Passion: Space Kitz Students Track the Emigrant Fire from Space 🚀 What happens when cutting-edge space education meets real-world wildfire monitoring? Students see Earth in a whole new way. This week, our Space Kitz students analyzed NOAA satellite data to track the Emigrant Fire, a lightning-sparked blaze that began on August 24, 2025, in Oregon’s Willamette National Forest. 📍 Origin: Middle Fork Ranger District, ~3 miles southwest of Indigo Springs Campground, within the scar of a 2009 fire. 🔥 Growth: By August 25, it spread to 1,200 acres. Within days, it surged to 7,400–10,000 acres with 0% containment. 🌪️ Conditions: Extreme heat, wind, and pyrocumulus clouds created dangerous fire behavior and spotting. Our students transformed this into an authentic STEM mission: Captured real-time satellite imagery from NOAA. Produced a timelapse showing the fire’s rapid progression. Gained data literacy skills by analyzing, interpreting, and presenting environmental change. Why it matters: ✅ Brings space technology down to Earth. ✅ Gives students real-world context for science and data. ✅ Sparks awareness of how climate and natural disasters impact us all. 👉 Want to explore how you can bring this type of hands-on space mission into your classroom? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eJQfY9mG #STEMEducation #SpaceKitz #NOAASatellites #WildfireMonitoring #ClimateAction #EarthScience

Science subjects lay the foundation for strong climate education, building climate literacy, skills for green careers, and a solid understanding of climate science and the climate system. The science curriculum should teach the practices and ways of thinking within the sciences – asking questions, testing ideas, using evidence, peer review, and evaluating risks and ethics. Read the Curriculum for Climate Literacy online now: https://lnkd.in/etJ9jkBT Royal Society of Chemistry Institute of Physics Royal Society of Biology NATIONAL EARTH SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

The advantages of Virtual Field Trips are many, but here are a few. 🎯 Accessibility & Equity Inclusive for all students: Removes barriers related to cost, location, mobility, or health. 💰 Cost-Effective No transportation costs or entry fees (or collecting permission slips) 🕒 Flexible Scheduling On-demand or live options: Can be integrated into lesson plans at the teacher’s convenience. 🌍 Global Reach Explore places otherwise inaccessible: From the Great Barrier Reef to the International Space Station, students can "travel" the world. Join Discovery Education and the amazing virtual fields trips scheduled for September and October. Come to Hawaii and see the world's largest solar telescope, learn how steel is made and how it is used to solve complex problems, or learn more about genomics and how scientists are uncovering the secrets of nature’s blueprint #VFT Sesame Workshop National Science Foundation (NSF) Illumina

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

Alhamdulillah, I had the privilege of attending an incredible academic event where I explored a wide range of fascinating student dissertations from leading universities including UCL, Warwick, Cambridge, QMUL, and others. What made it even more rewarding was the opportunity to see the students themselves present their work with such passion, confidence, and dedication. The projects covered extraordinary areas of research from unusual planetary systems and massive debris disks, to dust entrainment in externally photo-evaporated proto-planetary discs, planetary-disc interactions, galactic rotation studies, and dust trapping after stellar flybys. The diversity of topics was not only fascinating but also a reminder of the vastness of human curiosity and discovery. For me, the biggest learning came in three ways: 🔹 The value of curiosity – each dissertation showed how asking bold questions can open new pathways of understanding. 🔹 The importance of resilience – the complexity of these topics highlighted the discipline and persistence needed to carry research through to completion. 🔹 The power of communication – watching students explain highly technical concepts so clearly reminded me that true learning is not just about knowledge, but about how effectively you can share it with others. This experience reinforced my belief in the importance of continuous learning and embracing perspectives outside of one’s own field. Even though the topics were far from my area of study, they taught me about the skills and mindset that underpin success in any academic or professional journey: curiosity, perseverance, and clarity of thought. A huge thank you to everyone involved for creating such a stimulating and inspiring experience. It was truly a privilege to learn from this work. #Research #AcademicExcellence #StudentSuccess #ContinuousLearning #Inspiration #Networking #InterdisciplinaryLearning

🌍 6 Fully-Funded PhD Scholarships in AI for Climate & Weather Research at UCD University College Dublin (UCD), in partnership with Met Éireann, is offering six fully-funded PhD positions starting January 2026 under a €5M research initiative on AI, weather forecasting, and climate change. 🔹 Annual stipend of €28,000 (tax-free) 🔹 Full tuition (EU & international students) 🔹 Research budget, travel, and HPC access 🔹 Interdisciplinary training + expert supervision 🔹 Focus on real-world climate challenges 🎯 Open to candidates with strong backgrounds in AI, climate science, meteorology, or related fields. Must hold at least a 2.1 honours degree or equivalent. 📝 Applications reviewed on a rolling basis – early submission encouraged! 👉 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d5gv-9yi #PhDScholarship #ArtificialIntelligence #ClimateChange #WeatherForecasting #UCD #MetEireann #FullyFundedPhD #GlobalOpportunities #ResearchFellowships #ClimateScience