The West Virginia Board of Education today (Jan .14) will reconsider its decision to make changes to the Next Generation Science Standards. Several West Virginia University faculty members are available to discuss the impact of their decision, which will change education requirements for K-12 students across the state.

WVU faculty members have been involved in research related to climate change and science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, particularly related to K-12 education.

Additionally, on Jan. 13 WVU’s Faculty Senate submitted a letter to the Board unanimously requesting the Board to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards relative to climate change without any modifications.

The Standards adopted last month include new requirements for learning about evidence of human-driven climate change. Prior to adopting the Standards, the Board made changes to the requirements at the request of board member Wade Linger.

WVU faculty members with expertise on climate change and STEM education include:

• Amy Hessl, professor in the Department of Geology and Geography in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, is a climate-change researcher and trained expert in analysis of past climate conditions through growth rings in trees. She can be reached at Amy.Hessl@mail.wvu.edu.
• Richard Thomas is chair of the WVU Department of Biology and professor of biology in the Eberly College. His teaching and research interests are in forest ecosystems, global change and carbon cycling. He can be reached at rthomas@mail.wvu.edu.
• Gay Stewart is the Eberly professor of STEM Education in the Department of Physics in the Eberly College and director of the WVU Center for STEM Education. She leads WVU’s efforts to improve STEM education at WVU and in the state, with a focus on transdisciplinary research in STEM education and preparing graduate students and future high school teachers still in college. She can be reached at Gay.Stewart@mail.wvu.edu.
• Jeffrey Carver is an associate professor of science education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction/Literacy Studies in the College of Education and Human Services and director of STEM Education Initiatives. He can be reached at Jeffrey.Carver@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

ms/01/14/15

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