KINGSVILLE (May 22, 2023) — Faculty at Texas A&M University-Kingsville have received another grant designed to bring kindergarten through eighth grade science teachers to the university’s campus to do research alongside university faculty and students.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), awarded $500,000 for the project entitled Promote Sustainable Agriculture Concepts in Education through Multidisciplinary Research and Pedagogical Trainings (PACE). The university received a similar grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in February to develop renewable energy curriculum experiences with grade 6-12 STEM teachers.
Led by Dr. Mohammad Motaher Hossain, associate professor in the mechanical and industrial engineering department, this four-year grant will bring a cohort of kindergarten to eighth grade STEM teachers to campus every summer beginning in 2024. For two and a half weeks, the teachers will conduct research with A&M-Kingsville faculty and graduate students and, based on that research, develop curricular modules that they can take back to the classroom.
Members of the PACE team include Dr. Hua Li and Dr. Kai Jin, professors in the mechanical and industrial engineering department; Dr. Marsha Sowell, assistant professor in the teacher and bilingual education department, and Dr. Benjamin Turner, associate professor in the agriculture, agribusiness and environmental science department.
Each summer, 16 teachers will be chosen and divided into two cohorts. Teachers will received stipends for their work.
“This is an important opportunity for the teachers as it provides elementary and middle school teachers with opportunities to conduct research and develop curricular modules based on the research experiences to accelerate agriculture literary and workforce development in South Texas,” Hossain said.
According to Hossain, the specific objectives of PACE are to provide authentic and immersive research experiences on food and agricultural sciences to K-8 teachers, especially Hispanics, women and teachers who were first-generation college graduates; to increase the number of underrepresented students pursuing majors and careers in food and agricultural sciences; and to build a sustainable bond among K-8 teachers, researchers, faculty, graduate students and industries.
School districts participating include Kingsville, Corpus Christi, Bishop and Flour Bluff.
Hossain also is principal investigator for the $600,000 three-year summer research program funded by the NSF. Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Site: Integrating data-driven Renewable Energy Across Disciplines (I-READ) begins this summer with 10 sixth through twelfth grade STEM teachers working for six weeks.
Research for this first summer of the program focuses on topics in mechanical and industrial engineering and civil and environmental engineering.
Hossain said the new PACE program should be ready to accept applications by spring 2024, but until then any teachers interested may contact him at mohammad.hossain@tamuk.edu or 361-593-3341.
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