NSF Thrash PD: Empowering Teachers with Cutting-Edge Marine Science Curriculum

Now celebrating its fourth year, the NSF Thrash Professional Development (PD) workshop continues to make waves by equipping teachers with the latest research and hands-on curriculum derived from Dr. Cameron Thrash’s work on marine microbial dynamics and hypoxia.

The three-day workshop brought together educators from across Southern California and beyond for an immersive experience at the USC’s main campus and the Wrigley Institute for Environmental and Sustainability on Catalina Island. The program was specifically designed to integrate current oceanographic research into classrooms, especially for those working in Title I schools. 

This year, we worked with Anthony Quan, who is the STEM Science Coordinator for the LA County Office of Education (LACOE) who shared advertisements about the workshop with hundreds of teachers in his network. By having him share it with such a broad network, we received over 40 applications (a record high) for the workshop itself. Out of these large numbers of applications, a select group of 10 teachers, whose grades taught span elementary through high school, were chosen for this workshop. Some were new teachers, like Symmone Scott with only a few years under their belt; and still others had over 20+ years of experience.

Beyond content, the workshop fostered a supportive professional network, with teachers sharing strategies and experiences, and leaving with classroom sets of supplies to implement our JEP STEM lessons immediately. As one participant, Asmaa Mohamed put it, “Your efforts to make this accessible is just amazing.”

With another successful year, the NSF Thrash PD continues to inspire and empower teachers, ensuring the next generation understands and protects our ocean ecosystems. 

What Was Covered:

• Marine Microbial Diversity & Ecology: Teachers explored the “unseen majority” of the ocean—viruses, bacteria, archaea, phytoplankton, and protozoans—learning about their crucial roles in food webs, biogeochemical cycling, and climate regulation.

• Hands-On Field and Lab Activities: Participants conducted simulated and real plankton tows off the dock at USC Wrigley, identified marine organisms under the microscope, measured dissolved oxygen using optode sensors, and performed experiments to understand ocean stratification and nutrient circulation with water, salt and food coloring.

• Research Integration: Educators toured active research labs, observed flow cytometry in action, and discussed the latest findings on coastal deoxygenation and expanding hypoxic zones—issues directly impacting California’s coastal communities.

• NGSS-Aligned Lesson Plans: The curriculum, developed by Thrash Lab researchers and STEM education experts- Kyla Kelly, Cara Schriknis, Jessica Stellmann, and Dieuwertje Kast, includes four lesson plans covering marine microbes, bacterial ecology, nutrient circulation, and deoxygenation. All lessons are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, California Common Core, and Ocean Literacy Principles, making them classroom-ready for topics relating to biology, chemistry, and environmental science.