Authentic community engagement in science (aces) - the atomic circus experience (ACE) project matt queen & amanda obery improving student access to quality biochemical and stem education has been a…

Authentic community engagement in science (aces) - the atomic circus experience (ACE) project matt queen & amanda obery improving student access to quality biochemical and stem education has been a focus of rural educational reform for many years. Positive experiences for students prior to middle school are critical given research showing that students who have an interest in stem in middle school are significantly more likely to pursue careers in these fields than those who aren't interested. As part of a holistic approach to this issue, the atomic circus experience (ACE) project builds on the power of collaborative partnerships and community engagement, shown to be effective ways in working with rural and native students. Centering on fifth grade students, the ACE project seeks to build knowledge and interest in biomedical and stem careers throughout eastern montana including rural and tribal communities. To accomplish this goal, the ACE project will work with local teachers, and biomedical professionals to develop a culturally- relevant, place-based biomedical and stem curriculum, ensuring all students can identify and have role models in these fields. The curriculum will focus on increasing biochemical content knowledge and career aspirations by engaging students through a problem-based learning approach based on local phenomena. The curriculum is reinforced using a traveling, community-customized, multimedia biochemical stage show featuring actors, a full rock band, and a troupe of interpretive dancers. In addition to the work done with the schools, a community engagement night will offer a public showing of the show will also feature a research bus open house and accompanying inbre-based biomedical researcher. The ACE project will travel to six communities in eastern montana, impacting approximately 7,200 students over the course of 5 years. Overall, this project is innovative in its multifaceted approach to working with rural and native students and calls upon promising, yet under-used, approaches in culturally relevant and place-based pedagogies, based in the next generation science standards, in order to make lasting changes in communities around support for biomedical and stem fields.