Beacon Institute and Clarkson University Win Coveted National Science Foundation Award

BEACON, NY, Oct 23 (MARKET WIRE) --
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 (NSF) Innovative Technology Experiences for
Students and Teachers (ITEST) grant program, a prestigious national award
that recognizes innovative teaching approaches that foster Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) 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
(SENSE IT) 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 (REON) initiative that is being implemented
by Beacon Institute, IBM and Clarkson.

"For New York State and the nation to remain competitive in the global
economy it is essential we develop math, science and engineering skills in
young students. It is the one thing that even the presidential candidates
agree upon," said John Cronin, Director and CEO of Beacon Institute. "By
combining an environmentally-driven purpose -- the monitoring and
protection of critical waterways -- with advanced technological skills, we
are preparing a new generation of innovators and leaders who can address
one of our most pressing regional, national and global environmental
challenges -- threatened water resources."

"This grant will allow us to build on the synergy that already exists
between our two institutions," said Clarkson University President Tony
Collins. "We will be able to utilize on a statewide scale Clarkson's
successful experience in programs that build and encourage STEM skills in
K-12 students. At the same time it is key for the future of our state and
national economy that we nurture in these young people an interest in the
environment, for in the upcoming decades, successful commerce will be
equated with a healthy and sustainable world environment."

The SENSE IT program provides hands-on teacher and student training to
construct sensors for the waters of the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers
with the goal of interesting students in STEM-based careers. The SENSE IT
curriculum takes an innovative approach to teaching science, mathematics,
pre-engineering and technical skills within an environmentally-themed
context. The NSF grant monies will allow the SENSE IT program to be
implemented in high schools in the City of Troy and Dutchess, St.
Lawrence, Franklin and Jefferson Counties.

Senator Charles Schumer said, "This is a terrific award for the first-rate
programs at the Beacon Institute and Clarkson University. This money will
provide teachers with the resources they need to help students develop
into global leaders and innovative thinkers of the future," said Schumer.
"Well-funded and well-run institutions of higher education are vital not
only for the future of the students but for the future of the country as
well. It is of critical importance that we continue to improve our
education system and promote collaborative partnerships between our
universities and our research groups to enhance academic opportunities and
success."

Senator Stephen M. Saland and Senator Vincent L. Leibell, who provided
state aid in support of the program, said the award is yet another
demonstration that Beacon Institute continues to gain momentum as a
positive force in the Hudson Valley and New York State.

"We must do everything we can to prepare our students for the jobs of
tomorrow, and this grant will help our students compete for and win good
jobs in the critical areas of science and engineering," Senator Saland
said. "Beacon Institute's innovative approach of using the growing
interest in environmental protection to encourage students to hone their
STEM skills is yet another demonstration that having a world-class
research facility on the banks of the Hudson will pay broad dividends for
the Hudson Valley and New York State."

Senator Leibell said, "Beacon Institute continues to deliver on its
promise to not only bring technological innovation to environmental
protection, but to play a vital role in lives and futures of students in
the Hudson Valley and beyond. This grant is proof positive that rather
than becoming some ivory tower-like facility with little interaction with
the community around it, Beacon Institute and its leadership understand
the importance of working in a collaborative way to help students in
local schools become the science and engineering leaders of tomorrow."

The SENSE IT program's curriculum modules include such topics as sensor
development, sensor deployment and data gathering, water quality
investigation and sharing data across observatories. The program is
specifically designed to integrate into any high school STEM curriculum,
including classes focusing on mathematics, chemistry, general science,
physics, environmental science or computer science. Throughout the
program, students will learn the engineering design process by designing,
constructing, programming and testing water monitoring sensors in the
Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers, which together span the entire state of
New York. The project will teach students various mathematical and
scientific concepts that can then be transferred through other
educational and career opportunities.

"As research director for Beacon Institute and director for the Center for
the Environment at Clarkson University, I am pleased with the NSF award
for this project," said James S. Bonner, Ph.D., P.E. "This represents an
important step in our long-term strategic plan to grow our environmental
research program. On a personal note, the project is especially important
as my father was a school district superintendent in the Adirondack and
Hudson Valley region for decades."

"The SENSE IT program is unique in its use of discovery-based learning and
collaborative team work," said Liesl Hotaling, Chief Education Officer of
Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. "Through our partnership with
Clarkson University, a leader in technological education programs,
students will receive cutting-edge lessons in science and technology,
while also making a meaningful contribution to the challenges that face
our natural environment today."

"The significance of strong local and regional partnerships is evident in
this funding," said Susan E. Powers, associate dean for research and
graduate studies at Clarkson's Coulter School of Engineering. "Clarkson
has developed an extensive network with K-12 school districts in the
northern New York region to grow its reputation for educational outreach.
At the same time, strong ties between Beacon Institute and the Clarkson
Center for the Environment will enhance both the research and education
of students throughout eastern New York to improve the quality of our
state's great rivers."

In addition to preparing and engaging high school students in STEM topics,
the SENSE IT program also provides teachers with innovative and intensive
professional development opportunities. With both in-class and
out-of-school programming incorporated into the SENSE IT lessons,
participating teachers will collaborate with other high school educators
and students throughout New York, as well as leading faculty members and
researchers from Clarkson University and Beacon Institute.

Congressman John Hall, a member of the House Select Committee on Energy
Independence and Global Warming, said, "The National Science Foundation
Grant for the SENSE IT program is an important investment in New York's
future. Providing New York high school students with the tools to become
proficient in science, math and engineering is vital for their future in
an increasingly competitive global economy. The SENSE IT program will also
prepare our students to better understand and deal with the daunting
environmental challenges that face the Hudson Valley. This grant will help
give the next generation the knowledge that will allow our region to lead
the way in the development of new environmental and energy technology."

Congressman John McHugh said, "Ensuring that students in New York have the
skills they need to compete in today's increasingly competitive economy is
imperative. This grant from the National Science Foundation will allow New
York high school students the chance to learn a combination of
cutting-edge technology and environmental stewardship. Northern and
Central New York is becoming a leader in many emerging energy and
environmental technologies, and investing in our students while they are
still in high school can help to ensure that we have a highly trained
workforce in the future."

About Beacon Institute:

Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, with offices in Beacon and
Troy, New York, is a not-for-profit environmental research organization
engaging scientists, engineers, educators and policy experts in
collaborative work focusing on real-time monitoring of river ecosystems.
It aims to make the Hudson Valley a global center for scientific and
technological innovation that advances research, education and public
policy regarding rivers and estuaries. www.bire.org

About Clarkson University:

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in six
alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a
company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, NY, Clarkson
is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with
select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence
directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs
of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences,
the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines,
nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status
quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.
www.clarkson.edu

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