Intel ISEF Article Mentioning PolarTREC

Dieuwertje Kast, a previous Grand Awards Judge for Intel ISEF, was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the science sector. Dieuwertje strongly believes in encouraging young people in STEM and providing opportunities for low-income and underrepresented students. As for advice for those interested in science, Dieuwertje said to be your authentic self and follow your passions. And find a mentor who believes in the next generation of scientists. The quote including the PolarTREC description: "Besides my STEM jobs, I also participated in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Teacher at Sea program last summer (2015) to combine my love of hands-on research experience so that I can translate it into lesson plans. I will be continuing this type of experience in the North Pole next summer (2016) in PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating). I will be working in the Arctic at the Toolik Research Station, located north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska. Our research will focus on microbial ecology of the Arctic Tundra. As a PolarTREC teacher, I'll also create lessons to transfer scientific data, methodologies, and technology into my classroom. I’m excited about this opportunity because it is important for my students. Not only do they need to know about the cutting-edge science but also about important issues and how what happens in the polar regions impacts them."