Husker Team Partnering With Communities to Enhance Biodiversity Education

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Team Develops Informal Biodiversity Education for Rural and Tribal Communities

Students who live in rural and tribal communities are surrounded by stunning examples of biodiversity: Grasses, prairies, flowers, and wildlife feature more prominently in these youths’ lives compared to many of their peers in urban areas.

Addressing the Gaps in Biodiversity Education

However, systemic factors such as geographic isolation, higher rates of poverty, and limited educational resources sometimes minimize these students’ opportunities to explore and understand the natural environment surrounding them. This, in turn, affects their ability to pursue education and careers in the STEM fields.

To address these gaps, a team from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is partnering with communities across the Midwest and Southwest. With a four-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the team aims to develop models of informal biodiversity education for middle school youth in tribal and rural communities. The project focuses on increasing local libraries’ biodiversity-related resources and strengthening youth STEM programming. The ultimate goal is to improve students’ analytical and problem-solving skills, enhance their classroom performance, and strengthen their “science identity”.

One of the major objectives is to spark students’ interest in biodiversity and inspire them to pursue STEM degrees and careers. Equally important is the aim to help community members understand the significance of biodiversity and how human interventions threaten essential resources such as clean water, food, medicine, and protection against extreme weather.

The Interdisciplinary Husker Team

Leading the project is Brad Barker, a 4-H science and technology specialist with Nebraska Extension. The interdisciplinary team also includes Judy Diamond from the University of Nebraska State Museum and University Libraries, Chad Brassil from the College of Arts and Sciences, John Benson from the School of Natural Resources, Michelle Krehbiel and Molly Brandt from Nebraska Extension, Gabriel Bruguier and Erica DeFrain from University Libraries, Aaron Sutherlen from the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, and Gwen Nugent from the College of Education and Human Sciences.

Co-Creation and Indigenous Perspectives

At the heart of the project is the concept of co-creation. The team aims to work collaboratively with local youth leaders to develop community-specific programs that meet the needs of youth and their families. The goal is to bring together Western science approaches to biodiversity with Indigenous perspectives, creating a unified vision.

Judy Diamond emphasizes the importance of this fusion, especially as scientists search for innovative and equitable strategies to reverse biodiversity loss. The project seeks to integrate traditional Indigenous approaches to science with Western scientific approaches, building unity that strengthens both.

Phases of the Project

The project will unfold in two phases. In the first phase, the team will strengthen each library’s resources related to biodiversity education. Judy Diamond, who has experience using NSF funding to strengthen local libraries, will lead partnerships with library staff to incorporate high-quality resources on biodiversity. Showcasing Indigenous authors is a major priority to enhance students’ ability to envision a pathway to college or a STEM career.

In the second phase, the team will work with youth leaders to identify strategies for embedding biodiversity-related programming into existing youth groups. Chad Brassil, an associate professor of biological sciences and a biodiversity researcher, highlights the importance of teaching students the steps of scientific inquiry. This approach makes students invested in the question and the answer, leading to lifelong change.

The team will also leverage Brad Barker’s experience in launching makerspaces in rural communities. These makerspaces, which are hubs of art and innovation, will enable students to build resources that aid their experiments, such as time-lapse cameras.

A Model for Partnership

Brad Barker hopes that the team’s co-creation of informal STEM programming will serve as a model of partnership that other communities across the country can replicate.

Gabriel Bruguier, an assistant professor of University Libraries and a member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe, sees the project as an opportunity to look to the past in order to survive the future. Equipping rural and tribal students to become stewards of the environment is critical at a time when biodiversity loss threatens human populations.

By integrating Indigenous perspectives and Western science approaches, this project aims to create a unified vision that strengthens both and inspires future scientists.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses the need to improve biodiversity education for students in rural and tribal communities, which is connected to SDG 4 (Quality Education). It also highlights the importance of biodiversity and the threats it faces, linking to SDG 15 (Life on Land).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles.
• SDG 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

The article emphasizes the need to improve students’ analytical and problem-solving skills, enhance their classroom performance, and strengthen their “science identity” through biodiversity education. This aligns with SDG 4.7. Additionally, the article highlights the importance of understanding biodiversity and its threats to ensure the protection of species and ecosystems, which relates to SDG 15.5.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Increased availability of biodiversity-related resources in local libraries
• Incorporation of Indigenous perspectives in biodiversity education
• Number of students pursuing STEM degrees and careers
• Integration of biodiversity-related programming into existing youth groups
• Development of makerspaces in rural communities

The article mentions the strengthening of local libraries’ resources related to biodiversity education, showcasing Indigenous authors as a priority, and embedding biodiversity-related programming into existing youth groups. These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the targets of improving biodiversity education and promoting sustainable development. Additionally, the development of makerspaces in rural communities can be an indicator of providing resources for students to engage in scientific inquiry and experimentation.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: ruralradio.com

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