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‘Part of the solution’: National Academies grant allows Rice to build the next generation of STEM leaders in environmental justice

Summary

Rice University's EcoStudio and R-STEM program received a $500,000 grant from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to expand its environmental justice education for Houston high school students. The new Houston Environmental Action Learning (HEAL) initiative will engage 120 students and 24 teachers over two years through campus-based programs and community projects. Students will address pressing issues like pollution, hazardous waste, and water quality while learning advocacy and research skills. Teachers will be trained in environmental justice pedagogy to integrate these themes into classrooms. The program emphasizes collaboration across STEM, arts, and humanities to inspire equitable solutions to environmental challenges, with a focus on underserved schools.

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