2006 Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum | Abstracts

Six Weeks in the Arctic, A Teacher Research Experience in Svalbard, Norway

Robert S. Oddo^1
1Horace Greeley High School, 70 Roaring Brook Road, Chappaqua, NY, 10514, USA, Phone 914-861-9400, rooddo@ccsd.ws

During the summer of 2005, Robert Oddo, a high school science teacher at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York participated in Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating (TREC), a program that pairs teachers with researchers to improve science education through arctic field experiences. Through TREC, K-12 teachers embark on scientific expeditions as part of a program that strives to make science in the Arctic a "virtual" reality. TREC builds on the scientific and cultural opportunities of the Arctic, linking research and education through topics that naturally engage students and the wider public.

Robert Oddo joined the Svalbard REU Program, which focuses on understanding how high latitude glaciers, melt-water streams, and sedimentation in lakes and fjords respond to changing climate (http://www.mtholyoke.edu/go/svalbard). Robert accompanied researchers Steve Roof, from Hampshire College, Mike Retelle, from Bates College, and seven undergraduates to investigate processes associated with a glacier-river-lake system on the island of Svalbard, Norway to understand Holocene climate change. The 2005 expedition was the 2nd of three summer field seasons for the National Science Foundation-sponsored Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program, which provides undergraduate students genuine field and research experience in the remote Arctic.

This six-week field experience in the Arctic gave Robert an authentic research experience that allowed him to think about scientific inquiry differently and examine different ways to teach science. This knowledge has changed the way that he thinks about science and how he shares science with his students. Robert's poster will provide an overview of TREC as well as highlight how this unique research experience impacted him both personally and professionally.

TREC is funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs, and administered by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS). Logistical support is provided by VECO Polar Resources. More information about TREC can be found on the website at: http://www.arcus.org/trec.