Join the TREC

Participation Requirements:

Below are general requirements and expectations for TREC teachers and researchers participating in field experiences. There are no formal requirements for educators, scientists, students, and others who participate virtually through the Internet.

An informational web conference will be held in early November 2004. Interested researchers are encouraged to attend, but participation is not required in order to apply as a 2005 TREC researcher.

K-12 Teachers:

Teachers selected for the field experience are expected to:

Pre-field:

Starting February 2005, participate in a series of online "webinars" (web-conferences) that focus on the TREC program, the Arctic, applied research, and professional development topics.
Participate in face-to-face field safety training and orientation.
Participate in a site visit to research team's institution, if possible.
Work closely with other members of the research team and program staff to prepare for and involve classrooms in the research experience.
Begin to communicate to team members and the public using online communications (journals, email, etc).

Field experience:

Participate as members of field research teams for two or more weeks during spring/summer 2005; exact date and location dependent on the research project with which a teacher has been matched.
During the field research experience, post journal entries and photos online, and connect to classrooms through interactive communication channels, if possible.

Post-field:

Participate in logistics out-briefing and full program evaluation.
Contribute learning resources and classroom activities to a searchable database.
Participate in culminating “webinar” at the end of the project cycle.
Continue to collaborate with the research team, program staff, and other TREC teachers and researchers to integrate the field experience into the classroom, and to disseminate the research and experience through community, public, and conference presentations.

Arctic Researchers

Researchers selected for TREC are expected to:

Pre-field:

Starting February 2005, participate in a series of online orientation "webinars" (web-conferences).
Participate in face-to-face orientation, if possible.
Host the TREC teacher at the research institution prior to the field experience, if possible.
Work closely with the TREC teacher and program staff to plan and prepare for teacher participation in the research, including scientific, logistics and communications needs.
Designate a member of the research team to fulfill a research mentor role throughout the TREC experience.

Field experience:

Engage the TREC teacher as an integral part of the investigative process throughout the research experience.
Collaborate with the TREC teacher as they post online field journal entries and connect to classrooms from the field.

Post-field:

Participate in program evaluation.
Participate in culminating "webinar" at the end of the project cycle.
Continue to collaborate with the TREC teacher and program staff as the teacher integrates the field experience into the classroom and disseminates the research experience through community, public, and conference presentations.

Detailed field research team expectations and requirements will be available early 2005.

Photo Credits: Researchers from Louisiana State University collect data on a bowhead whale harvested by residents of Barrow. Photo by Daniel Hillman. Center: A load of cargo for the summer 2002 field site at Ivotuk on Alaska's North Slope. Photo courtesy of VECO Polar Resources. Right: Mike Abels drills through the ice in May 2002 to collect water samples from Toolik Lake. Photo by Richard Flanders.