This $233,309 National Science Foundation project grant supports the development of a Fluid-Earth Science Spatial Thinking Laboratory at Towson University to investigate undergraduate students' use of spatial reasoning when observing geophysical fluid processes. The principal investigator will build their capacity to conduct this education research through cognitive psychology coursework and mentoring.
The laboratory will model fluid-Earth dynamics using density and rotating tanks to qualitatively study how students make sense of physical models and their spatial conceptions of fluid flow. Insights will inform tools to enhance fluid-Earth science teaching. A $25,000 subaward to Temple University will support these research efforts.
Funded under the NSF's Education and Human Resources Core Research program, which aims to strengthen STEM education research, this project aligns with the agency's mission to advance the nation's science and engineering capabilities. Results will be disseminated through workshops to further fluid-Earth thinking research.
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