A website for Michigan Tech’s Global Watershed program has been singled out as one of two top websites nationwide. The Global Watershed program is part of a graduate STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fellowship program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) at 213 universities across the country. The program, known as GK12, prepares graduate students in STEM fields to work with teachers and students in kindergarten through 12th grade to incorporate scientific research and the scientific method as integral parts of their science education curriculum.
Locally, Michigan Tech’s GK12 Global Watershed program partners graduate student fellows with partner-teachers at the BRIDGE Alternative School, Copper Country Intermediate School District, Hancock High and Middle Schools, Manistee High School and Stanton Township. While the Michigan Tech program focuses primarily on rural schools in the western UP, it also partners with the Colegio Munoz school system in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
“The website for our GK12 Global Watershed program really is an invaluable tool for organizing and publicizing our project,” said Professor Alex Mayer (CEE), program director.
“It’s critical that we have a polished site that’s easy to use to spread the word about the program to potential GK12 fellows and partner teachers and publicize the accomplishments of our existing fellows and their partner teachers,” Mayer went on to say. “We’re very pleased that NSF has recognized the quality of our web presence.”
The award-winning website was designed and developed locally by the web development firm of opusWeb.com in Hancock. “It’s truly an honor to know that a website our firm developed right here in the Keweenaw was recognized on a national level,” said Jeffery Primeau, opusWeb.com cofounder and director of marketing/communications.
The website was judged on several factors, including design, navigability, structure and content. Comprehensive content/text for the site was written by Lisa Rowan, currently a master’s degree student in ecology at the University of North Florida.
To view the site, see Global Watershed.
by Jennifer Donovan, director, public relations
Published in Tech Today