2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper discusses how the summer research experiences for high school STEM teachers enable them to develop innovative curricular modules to improve their students learning. The summer research activities focused on investigating the solar energy output throughout a year by analyzing the solar radiation big data available on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Solar Position and Intensity (SOLPOS) website, and which solar panel installation angles can provide the maximum output for a common house plan in South Texas. How the introduction of surface texture on a photovoltaic cell can increase the efficiency of the cell was also studied. Based on the research findings, several curricular modules have been developed for grades 9-12 following the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) guidelines. These curricular modules are designed to help students understand different facets of renewable energy, specifically solar energy, and data science. The curricular modules are expected to inspire the students’ interests in STEM fields and careers.