When February rolls around, most of us will be thinking about the coming spring season. But thanks to the San Diego County Educational Technology Fair, or Tech Fair, students from all over San Diego County will be looking a lot farther into the future. The Tech Fair is scheduled to run from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on February 20, 2002 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds’ Bing Crosby Hall, and preparations are already under way.

The Tech Fair is neither a trade show nor a job fair. Its purpose is to get students excited about mathematics, science, and technology. High technology companies throughout the area are invited to bring their scientists, engineers, and others who help to implement or develop their technology and to set up a hands-on, interactive exhibit for students. Last year, more than 40 exhibitors accepted the challenge with booths that excited and informed more than 2,000 students at the Del Mar Fairgrounds’ Crosby Hall. This year’s event promises to be even more interactive
and educational.

An exciting development that is helping to spread the word about this year’s Tech Fair is the redesign of the High Tech Fair portion of the web site: www.sdsa.org/hightech. In addition to being more attractive and user-friendly, the redesigned site will allow exhibitors and educators to register for the event online. As we begin adding registrants, we will be updating the Tech Fair web site to bring you all the latest news about this very worthwhile event.

For more information about this year’s Tech Fair, please visit our web site at www.sdsa.org/hightech or e-mail this year’s co-chairs Judi Berlin, judi.berlin@trw.com; Jim Ritchey, jim.ritchey@mail.house.gov; and Patricia Winter, pat.winter@gat.com.

Wolves visit classrooms, crayfish lounge in comfortable habitats, and rocks are explored in field settings; all these sightings are being reported by PISCES Project teachers. K–8 students, their teachers, their parents, and also their Science Corps partners are excited and involved in the many program dimensions the PISCES Project brings to San Diego elementary classrooms. At Otay School in Chula Vista, Mrs. Jenkins wrote, “My first grade class was so captivated by a unit on living organisms that we extended it by planting a garden plot with sunflowers, our peas and beans from the unit, tomatoes and wildflowers. Later we ordered Painted Ladycaterpillars, built a caterpillar ‘cage’ and observed the life cycle of the butterfly. Mrs. Santos, our PISCES Science Corps from SDSU, brought us more information, helped capture and escape, and led our butterfly release. One of my parents brought in six more caterpillars, so we will repeat our observations!” The excitement for science learning is not only occurring in the minds and hearts of students but also with teachers who for the first time have on-site and in-class support for implementing inquiry-based science units of study from start to finish. This is part of the Partnerships

Involving the Scientific Community in Elementary Schools (PISCES), a project of the San Diego Science Alliance, San Diego State University, and the San Diego County Office of Education.

Cece Vevoda at Empresa Elementary in the Vista Unified School District and Kevin Cummins, a PISCES Science Corps and graduate student in Biology at SDSU, recently completed an extraordinary field study incorporating the science they had partnered to teach in her 5th grade classroom. Cece tells it best about a lunch-time experience after having participated in “Show Me Geology” at SDSU and visited with an entomologist. “The students, their parents and I ate lunch in the university’s Mediterranean Garden with some of the ‘Science Corps.’ Kevin and I had just finished teaching the class about plant growth and development. The students were so excited to see many flowers in bloom and to explain the different parts of the flower and their functions to their parents. They were especially thrilled when they saw bees pollinating flowers. In class they had pollinated flowers with bee sticks. On our trip their experiment came to life right before their eyes.”

National Science Teachers Conference Coming to San Diego

In March 2002, San Diego will host the National Science Teachers Association’s (NSTA) National Convention. NSTA’s National Convention, rotated between major United States Cities, annually attracts from twelve to twenty thousand participants from all over the world. This is the first time that the National Convention has been held in San Diego. The convention, beginning on March 27 and running through March 30, will be the 50th such National Convention for the NSTA. To acknowledge this milestone “Golden Year in the Golden State” has been chosen as the theme.

In accordance with NSTA’s mission to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning, all conventions are carefully planned to respond to the changing professional development needs of science educators, especially in this standards-driven era. NSTA conventions enable both members and nonmembers to share teaching ideas, resources, and other techniques they have found successful. Conventions reinforce the commitment of teachers, administrators, and private and public science resources to provide the best science education they can for students. Additionally, NSTA conventions enhance the state’s visibility as well as provide more opportunities to showcase regional programs and initiatives in science education. National conventions boast approximately 1,500 sessions, 30 short courses, a dozen meal functions, and more than 1,100 exhibit booths by more than 500 companies.

In addition to tours and short courses scheduled for San Diego’s University Campuses, science-related industries, and military facilities, convention attendees
will have the rare treat of the science institutes of Balboa Park opening for Science Night in Balboa Park and SeaWorld hosting a social event the following evening.

SDSA has taken an active part in the planning of the convention with several of its board members serving as members of the Program and Local Arrangements committees. SDSA has utilized its network to disseminate information about the coming convention and encourages participation. SDSA’s presence will be felt at the convention itself in the form of presentations and exhibits of partner organizations extolling the benefits of business to school partnerships. Also, SDSA will be hosting its annual Partnership Awards Breakfast during the convention.

A group of more than 30 local educators have been volunteering their time to make the NSTA 2002 National Convention one of the best in memory. One example that surely will stand out is the effective and innovative partnerships between San Diego’s business and education sectors.

As part of San Diego City Schools (SDCS) high school reform efforts, the district is making significant changes to its science program that will provide its 33,000 secondary students with rigorous standards-based science instruction. These unprecedented
changes will give all San Diego City School students access to the science content they need to be scientifically literate citizens in the 21st century.

The district has increased the graduation requirements from two years to three years of laboratory science—a change that will require all 10,000 ninth grade students to take physics, beginning with the
class of 2006. SDCS is implementing Active Physics curriculum materials, developed by the American Association of Physics Teachers, the American Association of Physics, and the National Science Foundation, for the ninth grade physics course. Students will then take Chemistry and Biology with opportunities to take honors and advanced placement courses in their high school science experience.

Here are a few comments from summer school physics students: “In my other science classes, the teacher stands up in the front of the class and just talks to us. We don’t get to do the experiments ourselves. I’m learning so much more by doing the activities myself and seeing how it fits in my world.” “How do I know I understand a concept? When I have to explain it to others and use ideas we learned from the activity to prove it.” “This class is more frustrating because it makes us think. The answers are there, we just have to find them ourselves.”

To prepare teachers for these changes, an intensive professional development program has been implemented. Summer institutes for 75 physics teachers took place this August and an additional seven days of training will be provided throughout the year. To further support these efforts, physics teacher, John Spiegel, has created an online professional learning community. John has long held the goal of connecting physics teachers to share ideas that will enrich and
increase the resources for the entire physics community. Teachers have one period each day expressly for professional development. John and the science department program specialists will communicate with teachers to discuss teacher concerns and student
work. Additionally, the physics teachers will come together seven days throughout the school year to discuss implementation issues and increase their physics and pedagogy knowledge.

Some of the feedback heard from the teachers at the summer institute included: “I gained a powerful understanding of inquiry-based learning, an understanding that I will continue to develop.” “I was originally concerned about the content being too low level and was pleasantly surprised with the rigor and math level of the content.”

Dan Lavine, the first physics teacher in San Diego County to achieve certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, has been selected by San Diego State University as a teacher-in-residence to help support efforts to improve teaching
and learning in physics. Dan is teaching the university’s physics

courses for teachers who wish to receive a physics credential or supplemental authorization. He will also provide in-class pedagogical
support for teachers employing the new inquiry-based instructional model. Dan will help the district develop its end-of-course assessment for physics. Dan’s successful classroom experience at Poway High
School, and his commitment to personal and collegial professional growth, make him uniquely qualified to support the district’s physics teachers.

Supporting all of these efforts is the district’s Science Leadership Team and the Science Advisory Committee. Representatives include teachers, site administrators, district level leaders, community scientists and university physics professors who bring vision and direction to the high school reform efforts. As Director of Science and Educational Technology, I see a bright future for science education in the district
and an even brighter future for San Diego’s students. Our students will be able to enter colleges and universities with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to prepare them for 21st century opportunities.

The KISS Institute of Practical Robotics (KIPR) is organizing the 2nd annual Southern California Robotics tournament, which will be held March 16, 2002. KIPR is currently seeking teams and sponsors for this event, which is organized around a competition called BOTBALL. Students in grades 6–12 work together in teams of 4–5 students and compete with robots they design, program, and build from a standard set of components.

The mission of KIPR is to attract students to science and technology through participation in a fun and intellectually stimulating experience. BOTBALL tournaments have been held across the United States for several years. Last year, more than 300 teams participated nationally in regional tournaments that culminated in a nearly 50-team national tournament.

Four middle school teams from San Diego County competed in the 1st Southern California Regional earlier this year. Three of these teams, composed of students in grades 6–8 from all over San Diego County, were organized through the San Diego County Office of Education’s MAST Academy program, while a fourth team represented the Preuss School at UCSD. MAST Team 2 placed 3rd at the regional tourney and 16th (out of 47 teams) at the national tournament. These teams were sponsored by several local companies and individuals, including The Dow

Chemical Company, General Atomics, Diversa Corporation, Xencor Inc, The Peter Preuss Foundation, Valigen Corporation, and the Paul Zorner Family. Several local scientists dedicated their time to mentor these teams in cooperation with the local teachers that coached each team.

A group of people, coordinated through the San Diego Science Alliance and the SDCOE, is organizing teams for the 2002 competition. Once again the SDCOE MAST Academy will organize several teams; a team has registered from High Tech High; and the Preuss School also expects to have a team. There will be roughly a 6-week period prior to the tournament for the students to conduct their work. Teachers also need to attend a training session just prior to starting work with the students. There is $2000 entry fee per team as well as additional expenses for training and
travel to the tournaments. A team entry also requires a teacher/coach and, if possible, a technical “mentor” who can help the team prepare.

The San Diego Science Alliance is helping to find sponsors and mentors to help with these teams but it is not known at this time how many teams can be sponsored. Interested teams or sponsors are encouraged to contact Patricia Winter (pat.winter@gat.com) for further information.

The San Diego County Office of Education/SDSA Physics Team Competition is a remarkable opportunity for students who are taking physics in San Diego County High Schools. Participating students will be randomly assigned to collaborative teams that will tackle six lab-based problems typically found in college preparatory
physics courses. Success depends on content mastery, flexible application of the content to novel situations, and the ability to quickly and effectively work as a team. All participating students receive t-shirts and certificates, and top performing team members receive scholarships and other awards. There are no entrance or registration fees for students, thanks to the generous support by the SDSA and other generous contributors.

The SDCOE/SDSA Physics Team Competition also provides an arena for physics teachers, university faculty, and private sector representatives to work together to improve physics instructional practices. Participating physics teachers develop the lab problems which are then submitted to representatives from academia and the private sector for review and support. This venue provides an excellent opportunity for those concerned about physics education to have a constructive dialogue and put ideas into practice.

Last year’s successful competition brought students from El Cajon, Granite Hills, Grossmont, Poway, Mount Carmel, Torrey Pines, and La Jolla High Schools together to demonstrate their skills with performance-based physics problems. This year promises to bring many more to the competition.

This year’s competition will be held at the San Diego County Office of Education on Saturday, May 18, 2002. If you are interested in sending students to this competition, or in offering support in problem development, problem review, proctoring, or grading, please contact either Dan Lavine, SDCOE/SDSA PTC Event Coordinator, Physics Teacher in Residence at SDSU, dlavine@mail.sandi.net; (619) 725 7321; or Nancy Taylor, Coordinator, San Diego County Office of Education, ntaylor@sdcoe.k12.ca.us.

October 12, 2002 marks the day when more than 600 middle school girls will converge on the campus of the University of California, San Diego for an Expanding Your Horizons conference. The girls will participate in a full day of activities, all designed to encourage careers in mathematics, science, and engineering. Local women scientists and engineers will demonstrate career opportunities and stress the importance of taking classes in science and mathematics. All middle school girls in San Diego and Imperial Counties will be eligible to attend.

Women from a variety of local organizations are planning the conference. This “Action Committee”was brought together by Patricia Winter, Executive Director of the San Diego Science Alliance. UCSD’s agreement to host the event was arranged by Sara Steinhoffer, Deputy Director of Government and Community Relations. Kathy Kailikole of UCSD’s Coalition of Excellence and Diversity in Math, Science and Engineering is the chairperson of the Action Committee.

The organizations represented on the Committee include: AAUW’s Tech Trak Camp, Association of Women in Science; ATHENA UCSD/Connect; Girl Power

Project of Sweetwater School District; San Diego County Office of Education; San Diego City Schools; Girl Scouts San Diego/Imperial County Council; Imperial County Office of Education; San Diego Futures Foundation’s Technology Training for Girls Project; San Diego Science Alliance BE WiSE Program (Better Education for Women in Science and Engineering); San Diego Supercomputer Center/Girl Scout Girls are Great Program; San Diego Zoo’s Women in Conservation Science; Society of Women Engineers Egyptology Program for Girls; UCSD Coalition for Excellence and Diversity in Math, Science and Engineering Project; UCSD/Girl Scouts Keys to Empowering Youth Project; UCSD Mathematics Engineering and Science Achievement Project; UCSD Science Education Association of San Diego/CREATE; and the United States Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau.

Since 1976, more than 500,000 girls have participated in Expanding Your Horizons events across the nation. This will be the first Expanding Your Horizons conference in San Diego.

Marine Technology Society Summer Intern Program
by Edward C. Cargile, MTS San Diego Section Chairman

The Marine Technology Society (MTS) is a professional organization for those interested in all aspects of ocean sciences and technology. One of the oldest and most progressive MTS Sections, founded in 1967, is in San Diego. With strong activities in ocean research and engineering in San Diego, the members of the MTS San Diego Section have been very interested in helping our students.

In 1998, the MTS San Diego Section launched the Summer Student Intern Program. This innovative cooperative effort provides outstanding high school students in San Diego County the opportunity to work with a sponsoring organization during the summer on various aspects of ocean sciences and technology. MTS member Larry Nordell, who conceived and proposed the Summer Student Intern Program, has been chairman of the Science department and a teacher at Mount Miguel High School.

The MTS San Diego Section finds organizations that will provide the experience for students for a six-week internship during the summer. These organizations assign a mentor to work with each student as well as projects to work on. In addition to receiving great insight on how ocean organizations work and experience with specific projects, the interns receive a stipend of $1,500 from their sponsors for the six-week

internship during the summer. The participating organizations can be ocean-oriented companies, universities, research laboratories, or military units.

A committee of MTS members, headed by Larry Nordell, reviews all the applications and the most qualified students are selected. The final students are matched with the sponsoring organizations, with a goal of insuring the best combination of services provided by the sponsoring organization and the student’s interests.

This is the third year of the MTS Summer Student Intern Program. Twelve students from San Diego County high schools were selected to participate this past summer and each of them was placed with a sponsoring organization and assigned a mentor from within that organization.

All of the students have been very impressed with the leadership and guidance they have received from their mentors. Each of the sponsors felt that the interns provided valuable services and were creative and enthusiastic toward their assignments. All of the organizations have commented on the high level of the students, their knowledge and ingenuity, and the amount of cooperative effort they put into their assigned tasks.