In order to provide undergraduate, continuing education and graduate students a variety of opportunities to explore the relationship between transportation and the environment in their academic programs at the college, the Center, working with faculty and the administration has initiated the following:

• Advisory activities in the Department of Education to encourage prospective K -12 teachers to explore the Center's theme in their natural and social science course work

• Presentation of appropriate research and independent study projects to student organizations on campus

• A College Management Group of selected faculty and administrators to explore and encourage appropriation of the Center's theme in academic offerings

• Student water quality projects in the Department of Natural Science

• A theme-based section of materials in the Department of Education's Resource Room. 323 titles have been acquired to date.

• On-going roundtable discussions between environmentalists, transportation professionals and teachers

• Modification of history offerings to incorporate issues relating to the Center's theme

The Research Program

Two types of research are sponsored by the Center. The first is scientific research within the field that can demonstrate reasonable transfer opportunities and, in addition, can be understood, is relevant to and can be utilized by teachers and administrators in grades K-12. The second is curricular research designed to develop innovative materials and methods for incorporating an examination of transportation and environmental issues in grades K-12..

*A. Science ProjectsThe following new science projects have been selected as recipients of science grant awards:

Student Conducted Studies of Catalytic Electrode Surfaces for Fuel Cell Applications

Principal Investigator: Dr. Brian Niece, Ass't Prof. of Chemistry, Assumption College

Highways and Herps

Principal Investigator: Gail Howe, conservation coordinator, Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Massachusetts Audubon Society

Gaia Worcester.

Principal Investigator: Drew Cummings, history teacher, Bancroft School

Trails, Roads, Rivers and Rails

Principal Investigator: Jerry Aissis, biology teacher, Central Falls High School

Testing of Road-runoff Rainwater for Heavy Metals and Petroleum
by Schools and Volunteer Groups

Principal Investigator: Alison McDeedy, Community Pollution Prevention Project

Worcester Earn - A - Bike

Principal Investigator: Gregory Root, Worcester Chapter, Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition

The Story Behind the Blackstone

Principal Investigator: Don Lamberto, science coordinator, Quinsigamond School

Exploring Our New Neighborhood - Our Community's Growth and Changes

Principal Investigator: Linda Weaver, third grade teacher, Roosevelt School

The Effects of Transportation -- Past, Present and in the Future --
on Our School's Neighborhood.

Principal Investigator: Leonard Pacek, science department head, Worcester East Middle School

*Note: Research project grant awards were made at the joint advisory board meeting on 31 March 2000. As a result, there are no on-going or completed projects.