RET and REU Community
Overview
At RegenPGC, we are building for the future by working to introduce existing and prospective science/stem educators to our research portfolio. We participate in two important Iowa State University initiatives, the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) and Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs.
The RegenPGC RET program allows middle and high school teachers to gain research experiences and form ongoing relationships with PGC scientists and graduate students. Our goal is for our RET participants to share their RegenPGC experiences with their students upon their return to the classroom and inspire young persons to learn more about STEM subjects.
The RegenPGC REU program provides opportunities to undergraduate students interested in future careers as STEM teachers to engage in a hands-on research project with a RegenPGC mentor and research team.
Both projects take place during the summer months. Maureen Griffin, from the Iowa State University Office of Biotechnology, leads our REU and RET efforts.
2024 Research experience for teachers
- Dr. Susana Goggi & Dr. Ken Moore, Amina Moro & Patrick Galland
Amy Jurasek – Dowling Catholic H.S.
I teach math at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa.
What was the biggest takeaway from your research experience with RegenPGC? As a math teacher who teaches algebra and geometry, I am inspired to develop lessons integrating environmental themes into mathematical problem-solving activities. I want students to see how relevant math is in solving real-world problems.
As a teacher we are used to being well prepared before class starts. In the field, it is impossible to have an exact plan as the weather changes, research is modified, and people are not always predictable. Our leader was phenomenal in keeping the projects going and touching base with people multiple times throughout the day, and adapting on the fly to the various situations that arose. There are times in the classroom when I need to better adapt to what is going on with students and realize the importance of small pick-me-ups when engagement is waning. Being given a doable task in the field quickly put me at ease. These are all things that I already know would provide a better classroom environment, but the work in the field really reinforced the concepts.
Research Poster: Perennial Groundcover for Corn Systems – Is There an Ideal Distance?
- Dr. Thomas Lṻberstedt & Memis Bilgici
Meggan Lint, Clive Learning Academy
I am a Special Education Teacher at the Clive Learning Academy in Clive, Iowa. I am going into my ninth year of teaching and have taught a variety of grade levels. I love learning about the natural world!
What was the biggest takeaway from your research experience with RegenPGC? This experience is unlike any other experience I’ve ever been a part of, and it was amazing!!
If you had told me, in the beginning, that this summer would feel more like summer camp when I was eight years old, I wouldn’t have believed you. I felt the same feelings—anxiety, excitement, and not knowing if I would fit in—about this summer course as I had when I first went to a week of sleepaway camp. And much like being at sleepaway camp, we learned from each other, played, and explored.
- Dr. Shuizhang Fei & Patrick Galland
James Wenman, Holy Trinity School
I graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. I teach 4th grade at Holy Trinity School in Beaverdale, Iowa.
What was the biggest takeaway from your research experience with RegenPGC? Expanding my knowledge in different scientific areas and the experience gave me more cool things to take back to my classroom.
This program has allowed me to see into the world of science through the eyes of a researcher. Research is a dynamic field, evolving constantly. It involves encountering errors, repeating activities, and undergoing continuous learning processes.
Research Poster: Adapting Growing Practices of North American Maize Production to Improve Environmental Affects
2024 Research experience for undergraduates
- Dr. Shuizhang Fei & Patrick Galland
Mikayla Sampson-Pagan, University of South Florida
I am an elementary education undergraduate. I will be graduating this fall at the University of South Florida. I hope to teach 4th or 5th grade.
What was the biggest takeaway from your research experience with RegenPGC? Always remember to promote belonging. This includes remembering that it is okay to make mistakes. This program has taught me the scientific side of research. Research is constantly changing day to day. There are errors, repeating activities, and constant learning.
Research Poster: Light Competition in Maize and Perennial Ground Cover Intercropping: Shade Avoidance Strategy
- Dr. Raj Raman & Philip Rockson
Candace Schroer, Wartburg College
I grew up on a farm in Marion, Iowa and currently go to Wartburg College. I am majoring in Spanish, Biology Teaching, and Secondary Education with an All-Science Endorsement.
What was the biggest takeaway from your research experience with RegenPGC? I learned so much about agriculture, specifically the corn industry. I realized how much I really didn’t know, even after growing up on a farm with two cornfields right next to me. I also learned a lot about data analysis and the research process.
One of the biggest topics that I am taking away from this program is the value of diverse perspectives and applying them to other parts of my life. Every person in this program had a unique lens formed by their experiences, and they thought, acted, learned, talked, and experienced more events through this lens. Everyone’s responses and ways of executing tasks were so different from what I thought of, which made our days together way more interesting and thought-provoking. Anyone could ask a question or add to the conversation, and I loved how open and judgement-free the room was. This is the environment I want to learn in and have for my future students to inspire creative and free thinking.
Research Poster: Assessing Biological Activity with Perennial Groundcovers (PGCs)