Background: The University of Maine Stormwater Management and Research Team (SMART) program began in 2014 with the goal of creating a diverse science-technology-engineering-math (STEM) pathway with community water research. The program engages female and underrepresented minority high school students in locally relevant STEM research. It focuses on creating educational experiences that are active and relevant to students that build confidence, connect knowledge and skills directly to solving problems in local communities, and support student cultural identities. The core tools of the SMART program are resources and relationships: universitydesigned or commercial water data collection equipment, data loggers and chemistry supplies, on-campus science and engineering training for teacher-mentors and students, and a community mentor network. The program supports an annual summer institute that trains both students and teacher-mentors and academic-year student research projects. SMART groups are formed at local schools or community centers. Activities revolve around engaging students in citizen-science to expand their understanding of the environment, developing community strategies to address the complex problem of stormwater pollution, and using the tools of science, engineering, and technology effectively. In addition, the program supports teachers and students in reaching out to local science and engineering professionals to form a mentor network for student research.

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a Senior Member of the IEEE and the 2015 recipient of the IEEE-USA STEM Literacy Educator-Engineer Award. He has over 125 scientific publications and 45 federal and industry grants, and has trained 47 graduate and over 50 undergraduate students on research projects. Mr. James has a passion for improving the quality of water for people in developing countries and has focused student research on water sanitation and conservation. In the classroom he works to differentiate instruction for students using an evidenced based inquiry approach.c American Society for Engineering Education, 2015Page 26.128.1 A Transformative Apprentice Research STEM Program (RTP -Strand 4) University of Maine and Bangor High SchoolAbstract -This paper presents a Transformative Apprentice Research (TAR) STEM program for high school students. The TAR-STEM program consists of a long term research component and a supportive and rigorous STEM curriculum. The curriculum consists of existing science, mathematics, and other core/elective courses such as would be found in a traditional high school program, specialized courses that include an introduction to research method and two Technology and Engineering courses, and a University-or industry-based research mentorship that starts in the summer of the 10 th grade and culminates in a senior capstone project. The Introduction to Research method class is designed to provide students with a vital, year long, full-emersion experience into the processes and activities involved with scientific and engineering research and practices. The Technology and Engineering courses, in 10 th and 11 th grades, introduce students to the technology tools and their applications in science and engineering practices through modern, hands-on experiments. These courses integrate a wide variety of university-and industry-based research topics as students participate in their research mentorship. The TAR-STEM program aligns itself with the vision of the National Research Center (NRC) Framework and the recommendations of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), especially students' engagement in science and engineering practices. The TAR-STEM students have demonstrated a greater appreciation for secondary and post-secondary STEM education.

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