Water is a precious and vital resource, essential for the flourishing of life. CU Science Discovery’s newest Immersive Professional Development STEM Experience, Water in the West, explores the use of data to predict how access to water may change with climate change, the science of watershed and resource management, and energy storage and generation using water. Each of the three 75-minute learning modules will be centered around how we understand and use water in the west:

  • Science: Water is important in every part of our lives, from eating and drinking to cleaning and creating. The water cycle governs not only what we wear on any given day, but where and how we live our lives. In this module, we'll look at the properties of water, how water reacts with heat, and look at the water cycle, precipitation, and how water can affect the weather around us.
  • Stewardship: Why do our communities form near rivers? What do rivers provide for us? How can we care for our rivers? Southwest Colorado is near the headwaters of several major river systems. Being high in the watershed of these waterways means we have a responsibility to those downriver, just as those upriver have a responsibility to us. In this module, we'll look at the science of a watershed, how rivers form and evolve, and what communities can do to help protect these limited and necessary resources. An understanding of how water interacts with the environment is the first step towards being responsible stewards of our shared resources.
  • Sustainability: As the world is generating more and more energy from renewable sources, how can we make sure the power stays on when the sun stops shining or the wind stops blowing? In this module, we'll explore how water plays a crucial role in addressing this challenge by generating and storing vast amounts of energy as needed. Participants will explore the principles and applications of energy use and transformation with opportunities to generate and measure electricity and experiment with cutting-edge science and engineering.

Program logistics:

  • Each team must pre-register with site coordinator.
  • Cost per team of 5 students and 1 teacher/adult chaperone is $195. This cost can be adjusted based upon a school’s Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Rate. Contact Scott Sieke for more information. To reiterate, each team must be led by either a teacher or an adult chaperone.
  • Participants must arrive at the workshop site at 8:45am with a sack lunch and water bottle.
  • Participants can expect to leave between 2:30-3pm.

Are you interested in this topic but looking for a different format? Consider Science Discovery's student-centered STEM Workshops - full-day tactile learning experiences designed to be held at your school for up to three classrooms.

Questions? Please contact Scott Sieke via email.