A Look at NCRR's SEPA program
The Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program was created to encourage active biomedical and/or behavioral scientists to work as partners with educators, media experts, community leaders, and other interested organizational leaders on projects that improve student understanding of the health sciences in K-12 education, and increase the public's understanding of science. Since 1991, the program has been administered by the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health. To date, 150 SEPA awards have been distributed across the United States.
Science Education Partnership Awards are designed to improve life science literacy throughout the nation. These grants bring together biomedical and behavioral researchers, educators, community groups, and other interested organizations in partnerships to create and disseminate programs that give K-12 students and teachers and the general public a better understanding of life sciences.
Researchers who study human disease and illness can make major contributions to science education programs by passing on their knowledge and also demonstrating the excitement of carrying out health-related research. SEPA funding provides researchers the vehicle for conveying both their knowledge and appreciation of scientific accomplishments.
SEPA projects are designed to stimulate K-12 students' interset in life sciences so as to encourage them to pursue college degrees in related fields of study. Eventually, these students may chose careers as scientists, engineers, and technicians and help to meet our nation's future workforce needs in biomedical research. The hope now is to continue with young students but also to begin concentrating on high school and undergraduate students as well.
The types of activities that are supported by SEPA grants may include traveling exhibits and mobile science laboratories; instruction in current health science concepts for present and prospective pre-college teacher; development of innovative curricula involving state-of-the art technologies, such as interactive Web sites and CD-ROM resources; and projects that link biomedical scientists with local community and school programs involving teachers and parents. Many of the projects offer hands-on and inquiry-based learning opportunities to give students direct contact with scientific research.
SEPA grants support two phases of the science education projects. In Phase I, the partnership develops and evaluates biomedical and/or behavioral science education models that are based on health-related research. In Phase II, the partnership develops effective strategies and broadly disseminates established, successful, and innovative biomedial and/or behavioral science education models. In Phase II the partnership must also plan for continuation of the project once SEPA support ends.