High School Research Initiative Expansion Project

High School Research Initiative Expansion Project Summary/Abstract Rural students and teachers are far from universities, have fewer resources, and most students are not attending

college. The vast state of Texas includes more schools in rural areas than any other state (i.e., 36% schools in rural, [4]),

and these rural Texans have low enrollment into higher education (i.e., 29%, [5]). Further, the Texas population is almost 40% Hispanic, and 14.9% of the state population is at or below the poverty le vel [1], both groups underrepresentedin STEM. In a geographically expansive area that amounts to the area of New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and

North Carolina combined [2], Texas has its unique challenges in STEM education and enrollment into college. Now, during the public health crisis that has sparked a desire to be involved, and when teachers and students demand action, it is the time to reach this audience. The University of Texas at Austin High School Research Initiative (HRI)

Expansion Project seeks to enhance educational science resources, teacher training, and a community of higher ed and high school educators to promote a diverse workforce to meet the growing health science needs of the country. The HRI Expansion Project seeks to address this need by broadening the audience and reach of the original program,

leveraging the infrastructure of the HRI, including the HRI partnerships with more than ten regional high schools and partnerships with two nationally recognized models for STEM education: The Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) and UTeach. FRI is an ambitious program that involves 1000+ freshmen and sophomores participating in authentic research

experiences while receiving course credit. UTeach prepares pre -service and in-service STEM teachers; the UTeach

Professional Development program has a proven track record of recruiting rural teachers for training opportunities [13]. The HRI Extension Project will apply effective practices to new programming designed to address the specific challenges faced in STEM education in rural Texas and encourage more rural students to pursue higher education and careers in

health sciences. In all, the HRI Expansion Project will (1) develop and disseminate inquiry-driven science modules, which

translate R1 University research, to rural high schools in the state of Texas (≥300 students/yr; 7 modules over 5 yrs), (2) develop a robust yearlong professional development organization for high school teachers (≥ 15 teachers/yr), which includes a 4-week remote professional training steeped with content (e.g. statistics, molecular biology, etc.) and

ongoing, yearlong supportive activities (e.g. monthly meetings, newsletter guidance, etc.), (3) develop a network of UT faculty scientists, undergraduate mentors, and high school teachers to support science instruction and share firsthand perspectives of their research and life as a scientist with partnered rural classrooms, and (4) determine the impact of

the HRI Expansion Project activities on student knowledge and skills, attitudes towards science, enrollment in higher education, teachers’ abilities to mentor, and UT scientists’ communication and mentoring skills. The HRI Expansion Project seeks to move the needle in rural science education, building persistence in STEM and a diversified health

science workforce.