Ramapo Magazine

TIES Grant Targets Environment

Thanks to a three-year $1.3 million environmental science grant from the National Science Foundation, Ramapo College of New Jersey will provide hands-on education for high school science and social science teachers, and ultimately their students, concerning contemporary environmental issues such as lead, radon, and asbestos levels in the community.

The project, called Targeted Investigations in Environmental Science, or TIES, will examine the use and disposal of chemicals, and its impact on the environment and health. A total of 225 teachers in urban, suburban, and rural communities in New Jersey and New York will take part in the project. They will initially be presented with sociological and health problems among the people, pets, and the environment of fictitious "Ramford" County, and be asked to explore causes, research behavior, discuss options, and render solutions. They then will apply their knowledge to study real environmental issues in their communities. The educators will spend sixty hours at the TIES "On-Line" Institute, a Web site designed specifically for this project, and then ten days at one of three locations: Ramapo College, South Brunswick High School, and the Ulster County (NY) Environmental Management Commission.

"In order for the project to have real relevance, educators and students will have to review and study their own communities, and ask some pretty tough questions about chemicals, the environment, and health," says Angela Cristini, lead investigator for TIES. The project will ultimately produce a combination of Web-based instructional materials and CDs for educators which will be distributed nationally.