Teacher Workshop on Ecological Competition Between Invasive and Native Species
WHEN: Monday, June 16th, 2025
LOCATION: Bartram Hall, Room 620 at the University of Florida Main Campus, Gainesville, FL
See full application questionnaire
Attention High School Teachers!
We invite teachers to participate in a one-day workshop focused on exploring fundamental ecological concepts, with a particular emphasis on competition between invasive and native species. This workshop is designed to provide educators with insights into ecological research and environmental challenges, and to bring hands-on experience of scientific experiments into their classrooms.
Workshop Benefits:
- Keynote presentation on ecological concepts: Introduction of key concepts in ecological studies and their real-world implications, as well as a close look at research labs and ongoing work by UF researchers.
- Hands-on experiment with “duckweeds”: Demonstration of an experimental kit designed by UF researchers that allows students to learn about species competition through hands-on experience. (More kits will be provided for teachers to use in their classes.)
- Image and data analyses: A walk-through of a data analyses website created by UF researchers that allows the processing of images and data collected from the experiment, which will be part of a crowd-sourced study on invasive duckweeds in Florida.
Workshop Eligibility:
- Must be a public-school high school teacher within the state of Florida.
- Must plan to continue teaching at a public school for the 2025-2026 school year.
- Teachers who teach at schools that receive Title I funds are especially encouraged to apply.
- Must plan to have a SEFS scientist visit to the classroom during the 2025-2026 school year.
- Have an interest in ecology, biology, or environmental science.
Participant Support:
Participants will receive a $250 stipend upon successful completion of the PD, evaluation, and scientist classroom visit as mentioned above. Traveling teachers (those outside a 50-mile radius from the UF campus) will be housed (single occupancy) at the Reitz Union Hotel courtesy of the workshop
(Funded by the National Science Foundation #2330970).
Application Process:
The application deadline to apply is April 15, 2025. Space is limited to 10 teachers. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application (selected or not) by the end of April 2025.
INSTRUCTORS:
- Dr. BingKan Xue, Assistant Professor, UF Department of Physics
- Dr. Mathew Leibold, Professor, UF Department of Biology
- Dr. Zachary Jackson, Postdoctoral Research Associate, UF Department of Physics
- Jeff Mintz, Graduate Student, UF Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences
- Kara Taylor, Graduate Student, UF Department of Biology
- Stephanie Killingsworth, K-12 Education and Outreach Coordinator, Scientist in Every Florida School
