Presenters: Yael Wyner, City College of New York, City University of New York and Janice Koch, American University

Abstract: This speed talk describes three education projects that engage urban minority students in science and the environment. Two projects focus on secondary school ecology and evolutionary biology learning in New York City science classrooms. The third project is a new science learning and public engagement major for City College of New York undergraduate students. Each of these projects seeks to increase access to science learning and science careers. With NSF funding, we created curricular resources grounded in published scientific data to connect the daily lives of New York City high school students to ecological concepts learned in school. We also created curricular resources for New York City middle school students to help them notice the evolutionary patterns of the sidewalk trees they pass daily. We are currently designing a new undergraduate program to prepare City College graduates to deliver STEM learning at botanical gardens, museums, zoos, environmental education centers, community-based organizations, educational, and science and environmental non-profits. The new City College program is a response to the unmet need to expand the science engagement pipeline to members of underrepresented groups.