Welcome to the Alabama Energy Education Program (AEEP)

The Alabama Energy Education Program connects a coalition of agencies and experts through which teachers, students, and their families are empowered to develop skills, knowledge, and attitudes that enable them to live with, enjoy, and efficiently manage energy resources. Such management has been defined as one that satisfies its needs without diminishing the prospects for future generations. This project creates school- and community-relevant experiences which have effective energy education outcomes. To accomplish its goal, the Alabama Energy Education Program has developed and implemented a model for energy education that focuses on relating and using in new ways, the existing resources of Alabama. Primary project activities include dissemination, teaching, curriculum development, and making connections between groups served. The project develops new curriculum materials, some translating energy related data and results gathered in ongoing scientific research projects in the state, and uses existing curriculum materials. In order to reach all parts of the state, the project will utilize website-delivered energy education modules to teachers recruited through the Alabama Regional In-service Centers, an existing structure for delivering in-service professional development to teachers. It will address pre-service teachers by granting access to the modules to teacher education programs in the state. Eleven Energy Teacher Associates will work with the project being involved in selecting content for energy education website modules and assisting in the recruitment of pre- and in-service teachers. Each Associate will provide face-to-face and online workshops at Alabama Regional In-Service Centers that will involve teachers in working with the materials modules on the website.

The broad objectives of the Alabama Energy Education Program are:

1. to educate and motivate teachers to teach students about the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy, and its impact on the economy and environment,

2. to train Alabama teachers on implementing lessons that will foster a long-term interest in energy efficiency, and building science technology,

3. to develop and distribute energy education materials for use in classrooms and with families at home

4. to encourage the development of extracurricular activities related to energy efficiency,

5. to increase the number of talented young people, especially women and minorities, who select energy-related careers and

6. to address the needs of teachers whose students include English Language Learners.

Project Staff Include:

• Dr. Cynthia Sunal, PI and Project Director, Professor of Elementary Education Programs in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa AL. 35487. Email: cvsunal@bamaed.ua.edu
• Dr. Keith Woodbury, Co-PI, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa AL. 35487. Email: woodbury@me.ua.edu
• Dr. Dennis Sunal, Co-PI, Professor of Science Education in the Secondary Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning Program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa AL. 35487. Email: dwsunal@bama.ua.edu
• Dr. Miguel Mantero, Co-PI, Associate Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL. 35487. Email:  mmantero@bamaed.ua.edu
• Cheryl Sundberg, Adjunct Professor, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.  
• Dr. Carolyn Pistorius, AMSTI Science Specialist, Energy Education Liaison for AEEP.