Award Abstract #0114917
Program for Gender Equity in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (PGE): (DEM) Bringing Up Girls in Science

NSF Org:	HRD Division of Human Resource Development
Initial Amendment Date:	May 31, 2001
Latest Amendment Date:	June 27, 2003
Award Number:	0114917
Award Instrument:	Continuing grant
Program Manager:	Jolene K. Jesse HRD Division of Human Resource Development EHR Directorate for Education & Human Resources
Start Date:	August 1, 2001
Expires:	July 31, 2005 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$900001
Investigator(s):	Tandra Tyler-Wood wood@coe.unt.edu (Principal Investigator) Mark Mortensen (Co-Principal Investigator) Jane Pemberton (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of North Texas 1501 CHESTNUT AVE DENTON, TX 76203 940/565-3940
NSF Program(s):	RES ON GENDER IN SCI & ENGINE
Field Application(s):
Program Reference Code(s):	SMET, 9177
Program Element Code(s):	1544

ABSTRACT

Bringing Up Girls in Science (BUGS) is a demonstration project in the Department of Technology

and Cognition at the University of North Texas (UNT). The goal of this project is to provide

educational experiences in an outdoor learning lab for girls in grades four and five that will

increase girls' interest, participation, self-concept, knowledge, and achievement in the

environmental sciences. During Year One, thirty 4 th and 5 th grade girls (BUGS participants)

will participate in an after school outdoor science lab at Sam Houston Elementary in the

Denton Independent School District in Denton, TX. Participants for the project will be

recruited from across the district. BUGS participants will be mentored by female

high students enrolled in the Texas Academy for Mathematics and Science (TAMS).

BUGS participants and mentors will be joined the second and third year of the project

by girls in special populations at distance sites through the use

of two-way audio-visual desktop conferencing tools, a project WEB site, chat rooms, and

computer ``pen-pals''. For the second and third year special populations joining the project

will include: (1) students with emotional and behavioral problems attending Rose Street

Day Program and Therapeutic School in Wichita Falls, TX; (2) a school district which serves

large numbers of Hispanic and Native American students in Bernalillo, New Mexico; and

(3) students from a rural school district in Decatur, Texas. BUGS participants at distance

sites will be able to use ``electronic field trips'' developed from activities that were

videotaped during Year One to increase their opportunities to participate in the ``outdoor

science lab experience.'' Family involvement will be ongoing throughout the project.

Career awareness and educational opportunities materials will be housed by a local

public library for the parents of BUGS participants. Three parent

meetings per year will be provided to ``showcase'' student work and provide educational

and career information.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.