iPlant Collaborative

The iPlant Collaborative (iPC) is a distributed, cyberinfrastructure-centered, international community of plant and computing researchers enabling new conceptual advances through computational thinking, and addressing an evolving array of the most compelling grand challenges in the plant sciences and associated, cutting-edge research challenges in the computing sciences. Initially providing services through a small, committed, centralized core (at Arizona and the Cold Spring Harbor Lab), the Collaborative will gradually become distributed throughout the community. The community, defined as plant and computing researchers, working together will determine priorities and allocation of resources via the community's Board of Directors.

PIMUST MSP

The Partnership for Improving Mathematical Understanding of Students and Teachers (PIMUST) links the Columbus County Schools with the Science & Mathematics Education Center (SMEC) at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The project is working toward establishing a partnership between the partners, increasing math achievement, improving teacher content knowledge and teaching practices, and researching their efforts.

Grid Computing

The Grid Computing Science Project is focused on establishing a computing course which encourages the creation of real scientific Grid applications. The Grid course develops educational materials demonstrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) applications that have potential for Grid computing solutions. The course uses a recently developed Grid computing workflow editor called GridNexus (gridnexus.org) to facilitate constructing and executing geographically distributed computations that are the basis of Grid computing. The project is a collaboration involving students from UNC-Wilmington, UNC- Charlotte, and NC A&T State University.

MAST MSP

Math Achievement Success Today (MAST) represents a partnership between Brunswick County Schools (BCS) and UNCW aimed at addressing high school mathematics, specifically Algebra and Geometry, through professional development provided to 40 high school math teachers. Major goals include increasing teacher content knowledge in math, increasing student achievement in math, improving classroom instruction, and developing a sustainable partnership with the institution of higher education (IHE).

Bridges MSP

Bridges connects the efforts of previous initiatives and local professional development to problem-based learning in an effort to reach 150 elementary school teachers in Onslow and Carteret Counties. This mathematics initiative includes partnerships not only between the two counties, but also with UNCW and NC State. The goals of Bridges include building math content knowledge, increasing student achievement, increasing teacher use of formative assessment, increasing the use of math manipulatives, implementing problem-based math and science units from the JASON Project, and establishing a sustainable network of math teacher leaders.

Biotechnology Educational Enhancement Grant

This Educational Enhancement Grant proposes to use both instrumentation secured with the assistance of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the expertise of members of Department of Biology and Marine Biology faculty at UNCW to enhance training in biotechnology techniques throughout the undergraduate biology curriculum. Specific goals include providing hands-on training in biotechnology techniques, reinforcing key concepts in biology, and developing quantitative skills in biology.

Onslow Connect

Onslow Connect: Connecting Students to 21st Century Learning and Support Opportunities is a Department of Defense Education Activity grant awarded to Onslow County Schools. Onslow Connect includes three main goals. The first goal focuses on establishing a comprehensive mobile technology mathematics program utilizing an interactive, technology-based approach to Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Goal focuses on building a transition program designed for K-12 military students who are dealing with academic and/or social needs due to the impact of deployments, wounded warriors, and transfers within and out of the school system. The third goal aims to increase teachers' comfort with technology through the addition of technology facilitators at each school.

Using Marine Mammals to Communicate Solutions to Ocean Issues

This NOAA-funded initiative provides education about the ocean and promotes better stewardship of the marine environment through informal and free-choice learning environments. Informal educators will attend a Marine Mammal Institute, which includes travel to eight aquariums and museums. Participants will then coordinate special events for the public, including a climate change/marine mammal event presented in a Geodome. In addition, exhibits in partner facilities will be upgraded with climate change and marine mammal impacts as the foci.