BEACON - Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries and Clarkson University today announced they have been jointly awarded $1.4 million through the National Science Foundation's Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers grant program, a national award that recognizes innovative teaching approaches that foster Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics skills among high school students. 

Beacon Institute and Clarkson received the award to expand their Student Enabled Network of Sensors for the Environment using Innovative Technology curriculum, a program that will teach 9,000 New York high school students over three years to design, build, test, deploy and interpret environmental sensors used to monitor water quality in the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers.

The program also includes intensive teacher training sessions on cutting-edge technological and education skills, and requires long-term commitments by schools to utilize these methods.  Students and teachers will work directly with the River and Estuary Observatory Network initiative that is being implemented by Beacon Institute, IBM and Clarkson.