Marla Crouch (TAS 2013), Julia Harvey (TAS 2013), Katie Sard (TAS 2013), Britta Culbertson (TAS 2013) and Barney Peterson (TAS 2006) represented the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program at the regional NSTA conference in Portland, OR on October 24-26, 2013. The NOAA Teacher at Sea Alumni (TASA) shared their TAS experiences with the public, informed them about the TAS program, and distributed NOAA education materials.  

Ms. Culbertson, an Albert Einstein Distinguished Fellow working in NOAA’s Office of Education, gave two presentations “Engage Your Students with NOAA’s Coral Reef and Ocean Acidification Resources” and “Data: It’s Not a Four-Letter Word (NOAA data resources that are readily available and easy to use in your classroom)”.  

Ms. Peterson spoke about problem-based learning in her presentation –Engaging Students in Authentic Learning Through Problem-Based Learning Units.

Paul Ritter (TAS 2013), President of the Illinois Science Teachers Association (ISTA), represented the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program and shared his TAS experience during his presentation “Backyard Biodiversity: Interdisciplinary Innovations and Classroom Connections” at the ISTA Illinois Science Education Annual Conference in Tinley Park, IL on October 24-26, 2013. Mr. Ritter also presented his TAS experience during the conference Presidential Luncheon.

TASA’s work at these conferences, helped to teach science teachers and others NOAA’s mission and service to the public, as well as show NOAA’s impact on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.