New resources and 2024 Office Hours are available to help educators incorporate the Bioenergy Research and Education Bridge (BRIDGES) Program into their classroom curricula! The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has developed a free bioenergy case study-based education curriculum that should take at least three classroom hours to complete.
January 2, 2024
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New resources and 2024 Office Hours are available to help educators incorporate the Bioenergy Research and Education Bridge (BRIDGES) Program into their classroom curricula! The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL), has developed a free bioenergy case study-based education curriculum that should take at least three classroom hours to complete.
New BRIDGES Video Online
A new BRIDGES overview and student testimonial video can serve as a powerful informational tool and an effective way to introduce the program to students and colleagues.
Geared towards high school, technical and community college, and university classroom settings, each BRIDGES case study toolkit includes guides for students and instructors, with a focus on research and development (R&D) scenarios covering synthetic aviation fuel (SAF), upcycling plastics, bioenergy feedstocks, and waste-to-energy potential.
The new video includes:
- Interviews with ANL and INL education specialists, scientists, and high school students on the impact and significance of the BRIDGES National Laboratory Case Studies
- An overview of the BRIDGES program
- A walk-through of the BRIDGES Toolkits
- Preparation to teach a case study and how students can engage with the materials. Bioenergy knowledge is not required.
- How case studies can ignite curiosity by introducing students to new concepts
2024 Office Hours Announced
One-on-one assistance is available for educators through BRIDGES Office Hours, which provide individualized help for educators and the opportunity to review the BRIDGES resources with program experts. The 2024 Office Hours will kick off on Thursday, January 18, 2024, and Thursday, January 25, 2024, from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET both days. Office Hours are by registration only.
Access the new BRIDGES Webinar Recordings and Presentations
Watch the BRIDGES Bioenergy 101 Webinar recording, which was held on Thursday, November 16, 2023, to learn how BRIDGES case studies can help students develop and strengthen skills in problem solving, complex decision making, and R&D dynamics comprehension.
On BETO’s new BRIDGES Webinar Recordings and Presentations webpage, you can also access previous webinars held in 2023:
- October 5, 2023—BRIDGES Bioenergy 101 Webinar: Incorporating Bioenergy National Laboratory Research into the Classroom (In partnership with the National Association of Biology Teachers)
- September 14, 2023—BRIDGES Bioenergy 101 Webinar: Introducing Educators to Bioenergy National Laboratory Research
- August 31, 2023—Historically Black Community Colleges Bioenergy Research and Education Bridge (BRIDGES) Webinar
For more information on the BRIDGES program, direct questions to bioenergy_bridges@ee.doe.gov.