News

Join ASTA’s Science Teaching Symposium for four incredible days, June 11-14, of professional learning.

Start each day with the recognition that teachers are human beings first and foremost.  Explore your own social-emotional learning and hone in on strategies you can immediately put into practice for yourself.

Then, as humans doing the work of professional educators, you will learn from expert scientists from around Arizona and the country. Throughout this virtual symposium, you will learn about a variety of science fields using the crosscutting concept lens of cause and effect. Each participant will receive a box of books and supplies in advance of the symposium (worth ~$200).

Hands-on, minds-on experiences using these materials, grade-band digestion time to discuss the content and activities, and time to ask questions of the impressive lineup of everyday STEM superheroes serving as speakers will make this professional development experience out of this world!

Interested?  Apply for a scholarship today for a complimentary registration!  Click here for the scholarship application (https://forms.gle/9SxAVnBQGhwWnCgm6)

Read all about what PESI has been up to in the 

April 2022 PESI Newsletter Volume 2 Issue 6 

In this issue, you’ll find:

• Jim Click Raffle Tickets

• School Outreach 

• PESI supporting teachers

• Teacher PD opportunities

• Teacher Resources

• Upcoming meetings and events

JOIN OUR NEXT MEETING
(In Person)

Come Enjoy “PESI in the Park”
Saturday, April 30, at 9:00am
Himmel Park (1000 N. Tucson Blvd)
PESI will provide breakfast and DOOR PRIZES! 
RSVP: pesitucson@gmail.com

Please bring a chair or blanket for sitting.
This meeting will be in person, no zoom.

If you are interested in helping with PESI’s amazing efforts in science education, please bring a friend to our meeting, and consider being an officer!  
PESI seeks volunteers for the offices of President and Vice President for the next 2 years. The jobs are easy because these positions are supported by experienced volunteers.

Vist the  PESI website for updates.

SARSEF Series: Harnessing the Power of Community Science for Research

Using iNaturalist for Student Research 

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 from  4-5 pm  Click here to register in advance for this meeting Join us for a presentation and discussion about using iNaturalist, a community science app, as a tool for student research. Featured guests are Molly Hunter, UArizona Associate Research Professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Isabel Ross, a senior at Cienega High School. Isabel’s study that she entered into the 2021 SARSEF science fair was ‘Bighorn Fire: Effects on Wildlife in the Santa Catalina Mountains’. Isabel was chosen to proceed on from the SARSEF competition and virtually attend ISEF and National Junior Science Humanities Symposium in 2021. 

iNaturalist and the National Phenology Network: Recording Biodiversity 

Tuesday, April 19, 2022 from 4-5 pm  Click here to register in advance for this meeting We’re hosting Theresa Crimmins, Director for the USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN), for a presentation about using community science resources to document and learn about biodiversity and phenology (the timing of seasonal life cycle events). Also a Research Professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona, Theresa works enthusiastically to support the growth and use of phenology data and resources curated by the USA-NPN, involvement in Nature’s Notebook, and a broader appreciation of phenology among scientists and non-scientists alike. The USA- NPN uses the internet to bring together community scientists, government agencies, non-profit groups, educators, and students of all ages to monitor the impacts of climate change on plants and animals in the U.S. 

How Community Science Data is Used in Research 

Tuesday, April 26, 2022 from 4-5 pm  Click here to register in advance for this meeting In this presentation, you will learn how scientists use data from iNaturalist and other community science platforms in their research. SARSEF and the Pima County Master Naturalists welcome University of Arizona researcher Katy Prudic, an entomologist interested in discovering how ecological and evolutionary interactions promote biodiversity and how they can inform conservation decision making. She is co-director of eButterfly, an online citizen science platform that harnesses the observations of thousands of butterfly enthusiasts across the globe to understand how and when butterflies and other pollinators react to environmental changes. Her research encompasses precision conservation, human-computer networks, and data science.