Arctic Research and Education

The integration of scientific research with education and outreach is important to Office of Polar Programs. Investigators are encouraged to include these activities in their research proposals in accordance with the broader impacts review criterion. Some education and outreach activities may develop during the course of a research grant or warrant a separate proposal specifically for the education and outreach activities.

The Arctic Research and Education program supports activities that bridge research and education in concert with funded research grants and agreements through supplement requests or as separate proposal requests to support new ventures. Proposals to this program may include formal or informal education or outreach for students K-12 and higher or to the broader public. Most commonly awards are made as supplements to research grants or as small grants. The Arctic Research and Education program seeks to collaborate with other directorates at NSF to promote the integration of research and education. For information regarding field support for proposals with field components, please see Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions below.

Arctic research spans the major fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and is often multi- or interdisciplinary. Research in the Arctic has clear applications for education and outreach at many levels. The region itself is an interesting hook for teaching about life, physical, and social sciences, and concepts such as ocean and atmosphere circulation, climate, earth system science, animal migrations, and life in extreme environments. Projects bridging research and education that have received support from this program include:

• teacher enhancement experiences through field research and mentoring by researchers,
• curriculum development infusing inquiry-based research into K-12 science,
• travel for arctic experts (e.g., researcher, Alaska Natives, educators) to share their knowledge through seminars and lectures to K-12 and university classrooms, community groups, and other audiences,
• opportunities for minorities and underrepresented groups to participate in science,
• projects that involve people of the arctic in science and education, and
• journalist/science writer immersion in arctic science.

The Arctic Research and Education program seeks to collaborate with other directorates at NSF to promote the integration of research and education. Many education programs at NSF are listed on the Crosscutting and Environmental Research and Education web pages. Specific education programs of interest throughout the Foundation include:

• Education and Human Resources (EHR), particularly Elementary, Secondary and Informal Education (ESIE)
• Geosciences Education
• GK-12: NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education
• Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT)
• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)