2006 Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum | Abstracts

Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating (TREC)

Janet Warburton¹, Wendy K. Warnick², Helen V. Wiggins³, B. Zeb Polly⁴, Sarah Behr^5
1Project Manager, ARCUS, 3535 College Road, Suite 101, Fairbanks, AK, 99709, USA, Phone 907-474-1600, Fax 907-474-1604, warburton@arcus.org
²Executive Director, ARCUS, 3535 College Road, Suite 101, Fairbanks, AK, 99709, USA, Phone 907-474-1600, Fax 907-474-1604, warnick@arcus.org
³Program Coordinator, ARCUS, 3535 College Road, Suite 101, Fairbanks, AK, 99709, USA, Phone 907-474-1600, Fax 907-474-1604, helen@arcus.org
⁴System Administrator, ARCUS, 3535 College Road, Suite 101, Fairbanks, AK, 99709, USA, Phone 907-474-1600, Fax 907-474-1604, zeb@arcus.org
⁵Project Manager, ARCUS, 3535 College Road, Suite 101, Fairbanks, AK, 99709, USA, Phone 907-474-1600, Fax 907-474-1604, sarah@arcus.org

In Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating (TREC), K-12 teachers participate in arctic field projects, working closely with researchers to improve science education through experiences in scientific inquiry. TREC builds on the scientific and cultural opportunities of the Arctic to link research and education through topics that naturally engage students and the wider public. In addition to arctic field research experiences, TREC supports teacher professional development and a sustained community of teachers, scientists, and the public through workshops, Internet seminars, an e-mail listserve, and teacher peer groups.

TREC immerses teachers in scientific research across the Arctic. The program enables teachers to work side-by-side with researchers on arctic field projects investigating topics such as tundra and wildlife ecology, marine biology, atmospheric chemistry, and long-term climate change. Locations of field sites vary - TREC teachers participate in arctic research aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy in the Arctic Ocean; at scientific research stations on the Alaskan tundra, the Greenland Ice Sheet, and in the Svalbard Archipelago; at remote field camps in Russia; and at numerous other arctic locales.

While in the field, teachers and researchers communicate extensively with their colleagues, communities, and hundreds of students of all ages across the globe, using a variety of tools including satellite phones, online journals, and interactive "webinars" (web-based seminars). The online outreach elements of the project convey these experiences to a broad audience far beyond the classrooms of the TREC teachers.

Currently in its third year, TREC is funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs and managed by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) with logistical support from VECO Polar Resources.

Researchers, educators, classrooms and the public are encouraged to visit the TREC website: www.arcus.org/trec to learn more about calls from the field, online message boards and presentations, photo albums, and learning resources. For further information, contact Janet Warburton, ARCUS Project Manager, at warburton@arcus.org or 907-474-1600.