ORNL scientists build bridge to the classroom with bioscience workshop

As a new school year begins, educators participating in a recent workshop at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will return to the classroom with a greater understanding of bioenergy research and how they can prepare students for a future in the burgeoning bioeconomy.

Middle and high school teachers from across East Tennessee attended the three-day Bioenergy Workforce Development for Educators workshop, learning about the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics behind the bioenergy industry and leaving equipped with new lesson plans to use in their classrooms. The workshop was organized by ORNL with support from the DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office.

Teachers got a close-up look at bioenergy research in the laboratory, in the field, and in real-world applications such as advanced manufacturing. Walking among poplar seedlings and pine forest at The University of Tennessee Arboretum and experiencing the greenhouses and algae ponds at the BioEnergy Science Center at ORNL gave educators new perspective on what a day in the life of a bioenergy scientist might look like. New uses for bioenergy were showcased through a visit to the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at ORNL where participants got a glimpse of how future products could be 3D printed using bioderived materials.

Learning about regional bioenergy resources through informational sessions, interactive tours, and hands-on activities, educators gained insights to help them prepare students for the future. “This event provided an opportunity to highlight bioenergy research and career opportunities and to use science to address common misconceptions about bioenergy,” said workshop organizer Maggie Davis of ORNL’s Environmental Sciences Division.

“When I grow up, I want to be a teacher,” began ORNL research scientist Brian West as he engaged educators in a discussion about biofuels and guided them through the laboratory’s National Transportation Research Center. That respect for the role teachers play in shaping young minds was evident throughout the workshop as experts from ORNL and master teachers from Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) worked together to bring the world of bioenergy into focus and into the classroom.

Teaching the teachers

Exploring science achievements and opportunities in using abundant bioenergy resources to make biofuels and bioproducts was the focus of classroom sessions led by ORNL scientists. Tim Theiss, Bioenergy Technologies program manager for the laboratory, engaged educators in discussion of the role bioenergy plays in diversifying national energy assets, while Jim Parks, Emissions and Catalysis Research group leader, highlighted how national laboratories are using supercomputing to accelerate the development of new technologies for biomass conversion. The series of presentations included topics from biomass resource assessment to sustainability metrics to algae as a bioenergy resource.

Master teachers from ORAU worked alongside ORNL scientists to translate bioenergy research into biology, chemistry, physical science, and math activities that align with the 2018 Tennessee Academic Standards for Science and Math. The master teachers worked with attendees to tailor the activities for use this fall in individual classrooms.

Hailing from both suburban and rural communities, the attendees teach a variety of subjects, including Biology, General Science, Physical Science, Algebra II, Bridge Mathematics, Navy Junior ROTC, Chemistry and Earth Science, Statistics, and Computer Applications.

Asked whether the workshop helped her better understand bioenergy, one educator responded, “YES. I learned so much useful information that will impact both myself, my students, and my family.”

Teachers started the school year equipped with new insights, real-world examples, customized activities, and a toolkit of additional supplies and resources to engage students and inspire classroom learning about bioenergy and the bioeconomy. —by Kim Askey