Teacher Professional Development
GET Outdoors in NC
CPES leads Geoscience Teaching Outdoors in NC (GET Outdoors in NC), an informal geoscience education partnership, working with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences at Greenville, NC State Parks, and Martin County Schools to increase exposure to and interest in geoscience research, education and career pathways among diverse youth in northeastern North Carolina through cultivation of a geoscience learning ecosystem.
Iterative Design to Engage All (IDEA) Learners
High school STEM teachers will develop and implement standards-aligned curricula to engage diverse learners in a locally relevant issue, the contamination of drinking water with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). By increasing teacher and student awareness of the cutting-edge research taking place to study the impact of PFAS exposure on health, this program will showcase current biomedical research career opportunities in the environmental health sciences.
NC Energy Literacy Fellows
This year-long professional development program showcases current energy science, technologies and careers to enhance Energy Literacy Fellows’ ability to deliver energy-related content, conduct STEM-based activities and promote STEM career opportunities to students. Fellows interact with scientists and industry representatives to receive up-to-date, curriculum-relevant content and engage in hands-on activities designed to support learning about energy.
Schools in Parks Teacher Collaboratives
In partnership with North Carolina State Parks, we lead the Schools in Parks Teacher Collaborative, a year-long professional development program designed to enrich 4th and 5th grade teachers’ knowledge of North Carolina’s ecosystems and geography while enhancing skills in using outdoor science learning approaches on school grounds and during field experiences in state parks to support their curriculum objectives.