InTeGrate is a community effort to improve geoscience literacy and build a workforce that is prepared to tackle societal issues.

The geosciences community has the ability to explain the workings of the Earth system and is poised to provide critical insight into environmental and resource challenges. This project seeks to improve geoscience literacy by developing high-quality educational materials and creating mechanisms by which they can be effectively brought to large numbers of students. This 5 year project is a NSF STEP center grant and will run from 2012 through 2016.
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Dramatic shoreline erosion and large overwash deposits along Dauphin Island following Hurricane Katrina. The image illustrates how barrier islands "rollover" and migrate landward during a severe storm surge. Barrier islands also migrate landward due to sea level rise, thus human settlements on barrier islands are vulnerable to both long term climate-driven impacts and short term storm damage. Photo courtesy of the US Geological Survey, click to enlarge. More imagery and analysis of this event.

The project is pursuing two important goals.

The first goal of the project is to develop curricula that will dramatically increase geoscience literacy of all undergraduate students.

The second goal is to increase the number of majors in the geosciences and to develop future geoscientists that are able to contribute to solutions to societal challenges.
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The InTeGrate project has 3 major components.

Developing teaching materials and evaluation of new teaching resources and instructional strategies,
Implementation programs to incorporate geoscience throughout the curriculum,
Professional development and dissemination strategies to promote widespread adoption of these new approaches.

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Pancake ice is one of many types of sea ice, and it forms in the presence of wind and wave activity. As summer sea ice diminishes in the Arctic, the resulting expanses of open water are more affected by winds and waves, thus enabling pancake ice formation. An increase in pancake ice compared to unbroken ice may decrease the ocean's albedo and affect thermohaline circulation. Photo from Microsoft Office galleries. Read a summary of this research.

Educators, researchers and others can get involved in the project.

Over the course of five years, the InTeGrate project will engage hundreds of faculty in developing new courses and materials, creating new programs, and disseminating results via the professional development workshops.
Learn about avenues for participation

The InTeGrate team includes geoscience faculty, educational specialists, and evaluation experts.

Collaboration among educators from all types of colleges and universities is a signature element that infuses every activity of the InTeGrate project.
Read about the project team