As a relatively recent branch of science, the study of complex systems is nearly nonexistent in K-12 science curricula. Yet complexity today touches nearly every other scientific discipline and has informed many recent innovations, says Irene Lee, a longtime education researcher in SFI’s Education and outreach group.
In August, Lee was named director of SFI’s new Learning Lab, created this summer to support an important component of the Institute’s mission: inspiring the next genera- tion of scientists. The Learning Lab will help translate SFI’s research for the general public, with an emphasis on students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
“The problems our world is facing – hunger, climate change, confiict, – are going to be best addressed and solved by people who understand complexity,” Lee says. “The ability to consider all the interrelated factors that contribute to these problems will be a critical skill needed in designing solutions.”
Until now, SFI has addressed the community’s need for complexity science education with programs targeted for specific audiences. The Learning Lab will create a more global and strategic approach to sharing SFI research outcomes, conducting research on best practices in teaching complexity science, evaluating current education efforts, and creating new models for complex systems education.
Significantly and symbolically, its staff now resides under one roof, having recently moved to SFI’s Gatehouse near the entrance to the Cowan Campus.
The ability to effectively disseminate outcomes is an important component of all SFI research. The Learning Lab will maintain close relationships with local schools and universities that provide students access to this science and work closely with researchers to make sure their research is accurately presented and the pedagogy is age-appropriate.
The Learning Lab encompasses all of SFI’s current and future educational programs for local students in kindergarten through 12th grade, including Project GUTS (Growing Up Thinking Scientifically), GUTS y Girls, and the New Mexico Computer Science for All program, as well as professional development programs for teachers.
The goal, says Lee, is to share the excitement and relevance of complexity science with a new generation of young scientists and, ultimately, support efforts to encourage students to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) disciplines.