Science Education at the NIH

• Bruce A. Fuchs, Ph.D., Director National Institutes of HealthOffice of Science Education

• bruce.fuchs@nih.gov• http://science.education.nih.gov

NIH Office of Science Education

• Founded in 1991• Office of the Director/ Office of Science Policy / OSE

• Programs Collaborators • National

• NIH Science Education Exhibit Booth (ICs) • OSE Web Site (ICs) • NIH Curriculum Supplements Series (ICs) • Women in Science Posters (ORWH) • Women are… video and poster series (ORWH)• Health Science Curriculum Online (ORWH)• LifeWorks (ORWH, NIDCR)

• Local:

• NIH Mini Med School (ICs) • Science in the Cinema (ICs) • NIH Speakers Bureau (ORWH)• HHMI/MCPS Student-Teacher Internships (ICs)

Science Education at NIH

• Why is the NIH investing in time and money in K-12 science education programs? • NSF spending on health and medicine• The Scientist Shortage• International Student Comparisons

• TIMSS• PISA

• Economic Arguments

Why?– NSF Mandate

• NSF is not supposed to spend its money on projects related to health or medicine

Why?–The Scientist Shortage

Is There Really a Shortage?

• RAND Report: Will the Scientific & Technical Workforce Meet the Requirements of the Federal Government?

• Chronicle of Higher Education:Is There a Science Crisis? Maybe Not

Why?– International Student Comparisons

• TIMSS-2003 • Data to be released in December 2004

• PISA- • OECD “Program for International Student Assessment”• PISA 2000-Reading• PISA 2003- Math (Date released in December 2004)• PISA 2006- Science

TIMSS: Science Scores

4th Grade 8th Grade 12th Grade

TIMSS: Math Scores

4th Grade 8th Grade 12th Grade

Why?– Economic Arguments

• Teaching the New Basic Skills Richard J. Murnane and Frank Levy

• Skills need for a Middle Class Job• Read at a 9th grade level• Math at a 9th grade level• Solve problems where hypotheses required• Ability to work in groups with diverse people• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing• Ability to use personal computers for basic tasks

• 50% (or more) of students will not get these skills

Why?– Economic Arguments

• “It is obviously just a matter of time before the bulk of our workforce will require a much higher level of problem-solving skills than is currently evident. And while we have been fortunate to attract so many skilled young people to our shores, we must nonetheless strive to increase math and science achievement so that our students can take advantage of the considerable opportunities that will exist in tomorrow’s labor market. In that way, we can realize the potential of technological change for bringing substantial and lasting benefits to our economy.”

• Alan Greenspan, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, September 21, 2000.

Science Education at NIH

• Office of Science Education• SEPA (NCRR)• SEDAPA (NIDA)• COEP (NIEHS)• Alcohol Education (NIAAA)• Mental Health (NIMH)• SBIR Grants

Office of Science EducationNIH Curriculum Supplements Series

• http://science.education.nih.gov• Created by contract competition•

• NIAID

• NHGRI

• NCI

• NIDCR

• NIEHS

• NIDA

Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA)

• http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/clinical/cr_sepa.asp

• Located in the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)

• Largest K-12 and informal science ed grants program

• Least restrictive in terms of topic

• Must form a partnership

• Motivated program director (Dr. L. Tony Beck)

Science Education Drug Abuse Partnership Award (SEDAPA)

• http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-070.html

• Located in the National Institute for Drug Abuse

• Must address addiction and the brain

• Highly creative program director (Dr. Catherine Sasek)

Community Outreach and Education Programs (COEP)

• http://www.niehs.nih.gov/centers/coep/coepcver.htm

• Must focus on environmental health education

• Not currently making awards

• Program director- Liam O’Fallon

Newer Grants Programs

• NIAAA (Alcohol)• http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-04-129.html• Announced July or 2004- K-16 orientation• Program Director- Jason Lazarow, M.Ed.

• NIMH (Mental Health)• http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-02-087.html• Not primarily aimed at K-12

SBIR

• Small Business Innovation Research

• Increasing number of Institutes are using them to fund education projects

• Must be a for-profit organization

• Contact me if interested

NICHD Learning Research

• 30 year history of reading research

• Math and Science Cognition and Learning

• http://www.nichd.nih.gov/crmc/cdb/math.htm

• Program Director- Dr. Dan Berch

What’s Up Elsewhere?

• NASA• DOE• DOEd• CDC

science.education.nih.gov