Teachers Embark on Polar Research Experiences
(Press Release) Alejandra Martinez, a 7th grade teacher at Memorial Junior High, always seeks to bring current, real world science into her classroom. Beginning on June 4th, Miss Martinez participated as a research team member in an authentic scientific expedition in the North Slope of Alaska as part of a program that allows teachers to experience first-hand what it is like to conduct scientific research in some of the most remote locations on Earth.
Miss Martinez joined Dr. Jeremy May and Dr. Steven Oberbauer in the Arctic for 5 weeks. She spent time in Barrow, Alaska, and then later Toolik Field Station where she learned about phenology, or the science of when. Dr. Steve Oberbauer and Dr. Jeremy May of Florida International University belong to a group of researchers called the International Tundra Experiment Arctic Observing Network (ITEX AON) which studies change in the Arctic. She was able to learn firsthand through her field experience that climate change is affecting the timing of everything in the tundra.
Dr. Oberbauer and Dr. May developed a tram system that records changes in the vegetation of the tundra throughout the summer over multiple years. Three Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform, or MISP Trams, are set up in three locations across the North Slope of Alaska. The Tram is a set of instruments that collects data along a 50 meter transect of tundra. It measures things like temperature, greenness, and the height of the vegetation. There is so much data that no team of researchers could possibly process it completely, but it will be there for the future, so scientists can look back at what the tundra was like before.
You can read about Miss Martinez’s adventures by visiting the expedition website at: www.tinyurl.com/slomosarcticadventure. Soon, she will be visiting local schools to share her experience in the Arctic. Teachers who are interested in having her come speak to their students are encouraged to email her at amartinez5@eaglepassisd.net. Dr. Jeremy May will be visiting Eagle Pass later this school year and they hope to have a community event where locals can learn about phenology and the effects of climate change.
Miss Martinez is one of 12 teachers selected through a nationwide search to participate in PolarTREC, an educational research experience in which K-12 teachers participate in polar research, working closely with scientists as a pathway to improving science education. About the experience, she said “I thought we had wide open spaces in Texas, but nothing can compare to the beauty of the Tundra. The wildlife and vegetation fascinated me, and I soaked up all the information I could. The researchers I had the privilege to work with were eager to share their immense knowledge and they were so patient when answering my questions. I not only learned about the complexities of the ecosystems, but I learned about the field methods they use to collect data and I witnessed the awe inspiring problem solving and ingenuity that happens in remote locations when challenges present themselves. I hope to encourage this type of problem solving within my students.
After all, now is the time to do something about climate change. Thank you PolarTREC, you have changed this teacher forever.”
PolarTREC is managed by the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) and funded by the National Science Foundation and additional partnerships. For more information and to participate, see the PolarTREC website at: http://www.polartrec.com or contact the ARCUS Project Managers, Janet Warburton and Judy Fahnestock at info@polartrec.com or call 907-474-1600.
The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) is based in Fairbanks, Alaska and was formed in 1988 to provide leadership in advancing knowledge and understanding of the Arctic. ARCUS is a member consortium of educational and scientific institutions. Further information is available at: http://www.arcus.org.
