runs a summer undergraduate research program with a cohort of undergraduate students working on individual research projects. Our team recruits students, provides training and guidance for students, and facilitates the cohort experience. You or your group serves as a science mentor. Mentors are supported by staff.

Research Experience for Community College Students (RECCS) (RECCS) is an NSF-funded REU Site. You can support a student to join the existing cohort. RECCS pairs community college students from across Colorado and neighboring states with CIRES scientists for an authentic research experience in environmental or Earth science. The program has been funded for 10 years and graduated over 100 students, with many going on to careers in STEM. Program impacts are captured in publications and in media coverage.

Provide mentorship and research guidance to a student during the 9-week summer program, either as a mentor team, which can include grad students/postdoc, or individually. provides mentor training.

RECCS students are community college students from diverse backgrounds. Supporting a RECCS student provides an opportunity for a student from an underserved community to engage in research.

~$8,000 for local student support (gas stipend, no housing) or ~$10,000 for student from rural Colorado (includes housing) plus 2 weeks of staff time per student (updated April 2023)

Research Experience for Community College Students (RECCS)

Our team can develop a badge or patch activities around a theme related to your science. These activities help learners connect science to their community and help inspire action. Badges or patches can be developed for Girl Scout or Boy Scouts, After school program, or Library programming.

We have built a water stewardship patch program as part of the We are Water project, which guides learners through observation-based and action-oriented activities. Using this model, we can develop similar programs around your science topic.

Initial conversations about your science, review of materials for scientific accuracy.

We can incorporate climate justice topics or focus the dissemination on underserved communities.

1 week of developer plus 40 hours of student time in y1, 2 weeks of developer and 10 hours of student time in y2, patch printing (updated April 2023)

Learn More

We have extensive experience bringing science into classrooms, libraries, and out-of-school programs through online forums and webinars, like YouTube Live. We can connect you with virtual audiences directly from your field site - from the poles to the tropics - or from your lab or the comfort of your desk. Our team will provide guidance and training to present your work to virtual audiences and recruit the student groups.

Our Science Show and Share program connects (remote) field locations with classrooms through interactive zoom sessions (Examples: Life Chat from the field into classrooms).

Co-design a short 15 min talk, join the virtual meeting and answer questions.

We can focus the recruitment on underserved communities.

1 month of developer plus 40 hours of student time in y1, 1 week of developer and 10 hours of student time in y2, patch printing (updated April 2023)

Learn More

has a talented team of curriculum developers, who can create engaging lessons about your science. Curriculum materials that feature your science will be aligned with national education standards and topics relevant for classroom instruction. Our materials are built using research-backed pedagogy and best classroom practices. We usually pair our curriculum with virtual, asynchronous, or in-person teacher professional development workshops.

Data Puzzle - This innovative short lesson takes a compelling data set from your research into the classroom. Data puzzles are built around a hook (puzzle plot) and draw students into the topic via their existing knowledge and experiences. Our team will work with you on identifying the driving question and hook for the curriculum. Virtual workshops and webinars support teachers in the data puzzle implementation.

Work with the curriculum team on identifying a compelling story and a suitable dataset. Review materials. If interested, give a short science presentation at a teacher professional development workshop.

The data puzzle can include a climate justice or mental health component if that aligns with the topic.

1 month of developer plus 20 hours of student time in y1, 2 weeks of developer and 10 hours of student time in y2, teacher graduate credit $90/credit, ideally budget for 20 teachers (updated April 2023)

Data Puzzle