A Portal for Future Educators and Scientists: the Deep Underground Science

and Engineering Laboratory

Susan M. Pfiffner1, Kimberly Davis1, Tommy J. Phelps2, Thomas L. Kieft3, and T.C. Onstott4

1Univ. of Tennessee, 2Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 3New

Mexico Tech., and 4Princeton Univ.

Education is in the foreground

• A couple questions– preformed work while underground

– kids,museums, hands-on

– Education across disciplines

– communication

– increased understanding

Learning Retention Rates

0 20 40 60 80 100

Lecture

Reading

Audio Visual

Demonstrations

Discussion Group

Practice by Doing

Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning

PecentageProject EvaluationFormative - assess initial & ongoing activitiesSummative - assess & impact of a fully implemented project

Project DescriptionPerformance Indicators

Summative Evaluation

Basic Research

Formative Evaluation

The 2002 User-Friendly Handbook for Project evaluation. NSF 02-057

Univ. Tenn. IT Newsletter

Education and OutreachRECRUIT AND ENGAGE STUDENTS• Encourage students toward scientific careers• Provide hands-on experience• Interaction with mentors• Enhance laboratory, speaking,• & writing skills

RESEARCH• Facilitate unique interdisciplinary research • Strengthen international collaborations• Enhance exchange of research, technology,• and education

• Mentoring of undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs

• Invited seminars at K-12 schools, universities, churches, and other public forums

• SHADES- SHared ADventures in Engineering and Science = hands-on symposium for 11-12 year old girls

• Brownie Math and Science Event

Design Competition Crash landing on Mars

Examples of Successful E&O

• Educational workshops for undergraduate and high school teachers

• Web site with animations and video that illustrate how and why scientist conduct research in the deep mines

• Design or enhance college-level courses on the deep subsurface

• Development of a web-based series for pre-college students highlighting diverse careers

In Episode Two of The Sacred Balance TV Series, David Suzuki travels to a South African gold mine, goes three miles beneath the surface with Tullis Onstott, and fines life forms that, until very recently, no one knew existed.

www.sacredbalance.com

Examples of Successful E&O

Successful E&O Case Study• One week hands-on field and laboratory workshops on

Life in Extreme Environments and their Biotechnological Application

• REU Site: Biogeochemical Educational Experiences-South Africa (BEE-SA)

• http://geomicro.utk.edu

Benefits for DUSEL• Readily accessible year round

• Staffed by faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and support staff

• Educational technology transfer

• Undergraduate program as a model

• Basis for interdisciplinary educational outreach

• Opportunities for joint collaborations

• Opportunities for international students coming to U.S.

• Linked with extensive network of R&D institutions

• Top quality multidisciplinary R&D opportunities