About
TRAILS 2.0 Leadership Team
Todd R. Kelley
PI (Principal Investigator)
Purdue University
J. Geoffrey Knowles
Co-PI
Bryan College
Joshua Nelson
Co-PI
Purdue University
Cohort 1 (VA, MD, DE)
Joel Tomlinson
Co-PI
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
William Weaver
Co-PI
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Cohort 2 (CO, NM)
Warren McClure
Co-PI
Otero College
Allan Nolan
Senior Personnel
Otero College
Cohort 3 (HI)
Pauline Chinn
PI
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Scott Miller
Co-PI
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Mary Rinehart
External Evaluator
Nicole Santoro
Consultant
Learning Undefeated
Jung Han
Postdoctoral Researcher
Purdue University
Woongbin Park
Graduate Asssistant
Purdue University
TRAILS 2.0 (2022-2026), NSF Awards– #2148781(Purdue University)/ #2148782 (University of Hawaii)
What is TRAILS?
TRAILS is an acronym for Teachers and Researchers Advancing Integrated Lessons in STEM. This is a National Science Foundation project that is bringing together high school Biology or Agriculture (life science), and Engineering/ Technology Education teachers through integrated STEM professional development experiences.
TRAILS 2.0 TEAM
The TRAILS 2.0 SEI (Scaling, Expanding, and Iterating Innovations) expands participation in STEM education and pursuits in STEM careers by a strategic partnership with Purdue University and the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Ivy Tech Community College, University of Maryland- Eastern Shore, Otero Junior College. Partnering faculty will provide access to necessary local knowledge to reach rural schools containing underserved high school student populations.
TRAILS 2.0 Goal
TRAILS 2.0 overarching goal is to enhance underserved and underrepresented rural high school students’ interest and capacity to pursue STEM careers and prepare secondary teachers to provide technology-rich integrated STEM learning experiences. Providing technology and support to rural and underserved cohorts serves to level the playing field for students and teachers in rural populations, thus, bridging equity gaps known to exist in these areas.
TRAILS Approach
Our goal is
to build a community of STEM practice through integrated lessons with authentic, inquiry-based engineering design activities
How we teach through
advanced innovation tools such as parametric modeling software (CAD) and 3D printers to enhance science and technology education lessons.
K-12 Standards
TRAILS lessons are aligned with high school science courses (Biology or Physics), and technology education (IED, POE, EDD), and other school subjects to provide sustained and substantial STEM pedagogical content knowledge growth.
TRAILS Features
Engineering Design
Engineering design is the strategy that engineers use to solve problems. TRAILS uses engineering design as a core platform to design students’ solutions.
Scientific Inquiry
Scientific inquiry refers to the ways in which scientists study the natural phenomenon to find explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. TRAILS posits scientific inquiry to guide students’ inquiry
Biomimicry
Biomimicry is the ways to design products, materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. TRAILS uses the biomimicry approach to generate creative and efficient design solutions.
3D Printing
The 3D printing technology allows students to generate rapid prototypes or solid design solutions under computer control to create a three-dimensional object, with material being added together, typically layer by layer. The use of 3D printing technology offers students explore future technologies.
Community of Practice
A community of practice refers to a group of people who share problems or a issues for something they do, and learn how to do it better as they interact. TRAILS encourages local industry and communities to engage in the learning community of STEM to provide authentic learning experience to students.
TRAILS 1.0 (2016-2019), NSF Awards-#1513248
TRAILS 1.0 (2016-2019) Leadership Team (Past Members)
TRAILS 1.0 PI and Co-PIs
PI (Principal Investigator) Todd R. Kelley
Co-PI Jeffery D. Holland
Co-PI David Eichinger
Co-PI Geoff Knowles
TRAILS 1.0 Leadership Team
Andrea Trice
Jennifer Richardson
Jonathan Combs
Jung Han
Jacob Goldner
Euisuk Sung
This project is supported by the National Science Foundation, award # DRL – 2148781 (Purdue University) / 2148782 (University of Hawaii). Any opinions, and findings expressed in this material are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF.
