By Khalida Sarwari
The Alameda County Office of Education announced Wednesday that it has been awarded $1.4 million by NASA to implement a new project designed to transform the presentation of science in California high schools.
The LIFTOFF project, which stands for Learning Inspires Fundamental Transformation by Opening Future Frontiers for High School Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Science, will allow teachers to create classrooms in which they and their students are regularly engaged in cutting-edge NASA mission research with real scientists and science faculty.
Sheila Jordan, county superintendent of schools, said the project will especially benefit under-represented minority students.
“Emerging jobs are in the areas of biotechnology, environmental science and green technology,” Jordan said in a statement. “We want to motivate these students to stay on track for college by helping them envision a future in which they will be prepared to participate in careers in science,
technology and engineering.”
California State University East Bay President Mo Qayoumi believes the project is at the frontiers of science and technology.
“We are especially pleased that future science teachers throughout the 23 campus CSU system will also benefit from the best practices in science and technology education LIFTOFF will showcase.”
The NASA LIFTOFF project, resulting from a collaboration between NASA, the Alameda County Office of Education and CSU East Bay, was one of nine proposals selected nationwide for two-year grants ranging from $300,000 to $1.4 million.