NETL is a proactive developer and supporter of educational initiatives at all levels. NETL’s commitment to education is demonstrated through Research Participation, Workshops, Instructional Materials, In-house Tours, Community Outreach, and Special Events. The goal of NETL’s Education Program is to enhance interest in math and science and to provide resources and instructional materials. Being mindful of our goal, we realize that our commitment will contribute to a foundation for life in a scientific and technological world for our young people.

FACILITY TOURS
Tours of NETL facilities for students and teachers are tailored to the visiting group. Each year approximately fifteen schools take advantage of these tours. Tours of the R&D facilities focus on energy research and solving national environmental problems.

CAREER DAYS
SERVE volunteers act as representatives at career days, while other NETL employees speak with students about administrative-type careers. NETL employees stress the importance of seeking opportunities and challenges in the workforce, discuss diversity in the work place, and the importance of good work ethics.

SCIENCE FAIRS
NETL volunteers serve as mentors, coaches, and judges in local and regional science fairs, including the Junior Academy of Science, Regional Science and Engineering Fairs, and Math Counts.

FOR PRIMARY AND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL TEACHERS
NETL makes significant efforts to educate teachers about the services NETL can provide by hosting hands-on workshops and by taking displays and informational materials to education conferences. NETL also encourages employees to use its educational materials with their children and local schools.

• NETL’s annual Triple E Seminar – short for Energy, Environment and Economics – is a two-day workshop of lectures, demonstrations, hands-on activities, and tours conducted by NETL researchers, university professors, and innovative grade school teachers. Participants enjoy Triple E because of the innovative, low cost experiments they take back with them to interest students in science.
• Hands-On, Minds-On Science is an initiative designed to address training needs identified by elementary teachers of math and science in Oklahoma. NETL, the Bartlesville Professional Development Center, a local foundation, and other private organizations have teamed to sponsor the initiative.
• The Excellence in Science Education Award has been presented to one teacher in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia since 1999. NETL created the science education award to recognize area teachers who participate in education events and then apply those experiences to their science classrooms.
• With the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) and the Society of Analytical Chemists (SACP) of Pittsburgh, NETL hosts Light, Color & Spectroscopy for Kids, a seminar for elementary and middle school teachers aimed at introducing children to the science of light. This seminar was developed by the SSP and is cosponsored by SACP.

FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS
NETL hosts programs to assist high school teachers develop exciting science programs for their classrooms, including:

• SACP's "Computer Software" workshop for high school chemistry and physics teachers.
• The annual Educator in the Workplace experience. Partnering with the Mon Valley Educational Consortium and West Virginia University, NETL provides the opportunity for ten local high school teachers to work hands-on with NETL researchers during the summer on an experiment of timely interest. The aim is to give the teachers contemporary material that they can work into their science curricula.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FROM  NETL

CDs Available:

• Coal: Energy for Home and Community (Grades 3-5)
  These materials were developed as a joint project between National Energy Technology Laboratory scientists and teachers in the Elementary Teacher Research Program.
• Developed by the Department of Energy, Dinosaurs and Power Plants, along with the Teacher’s Lesson Plan and Activity Guide and its accompanying Supplement, has been designed for students in grades five through eight. They are about the history, detection, extraction, transportation, use, environment problems/solutions, and future of fossil energy.

If you have any questions or need additional information concerning any of NETL - Pittsburgh Education Initiatives, please contact Dr. Michael Nowak, NETL - Pittsburgh Education Coordinator at (412) 386-5034.

LESSON PLANS DEVELOPED FOR NETL TECHNOLOGIES
These lesson plans were developed through our Teachers in the Workplace Program. They were developed by teachers in conjunction with our technical staff. They are made available to anyone who wants to include them in their science curriculum.

• Lesson Plan 1 - Coburning Biomass & Coal in the Future
• Lesson Plan 2 - Environmental Management
• Lesson Plan 3 - Fluidized Bed
• Lesson Plan 4 - Biomass Size Reduction
• Lesson Plan 5 - Phytoremediation
• Lesson Plan 6 - Fuel Cell Technology
• Lesson Plan 7 - Clean Air Research
• Lesson Plan 8 - Environmental Management
• Lesson Plan 9 - Environmental Management
• Lesson Plan 10 - Passive Acid Mine Drainage
• Lesson Plan 11 - Coal Mine Review
• Lesson Plan 12 - An Experiment for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration
• Lesson Plan 13 - Vortex Lesson Plan Builder [PDF-467KB]
• Lesson Plan 14 - Parallel Computing [PDF-97KB]
• Lesson Plan 15 - Parallel Computing