An aquaponics program developed by Wartburg College Professor Michael Bechtel will once again be available to all Iowa educators, thanks to the STEM Scale-Up Program from the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council.
The program, called Ioponics, combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil) to create a controlled micro-ecosystem for year-round hands-on learning. This is the third time the system has been selected for the state award, which will pay for the physical materials and continued technical support for the aquaponics systems. In addition to the actual system, each educator also will receive cross-curricular lesson plans for pre-K-12 students that align with Iowa Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
The state award also will support the Ioponics program in other areas where kids of all ages gather to learn and grow, including after-school programs, youth groups, libraries and other educational programs. To apply for the Ioponics program, visit https://iowastem.org/Scale-Up-Application.
Bechtel is hosting free online workshops Jan. 25 and Feb. 16 at 7:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. so interested individuals can learn more about the program. Additional information and webinar registration is available at www.wartburg.edu/ioponics. The application period for the STEM Scale-Up Program closes Feb. 28. Classrooms and other programs selected to receive the Ioponics program will be announced in April.
“I am excited for the opportunity to continue to bring the Ioponics systems to classrooms and other places where young people gather across the state. The support from Wartburg College and the educators I’m already working with has been phenomenal, and I can’t wait to do it all again this summer,” Bechtel said.
Since 2021, Bechtel and his team of Wartburg students have placed 181 40-gallon systems in 70 of Iowa’s 99 counties, and he hopes to hit the remaining counties this summer. In addition to his work in Iowa, Bechtel has partnered with educators in 13 states to bring Ioponics and sustainable agriculture education to students there as well.
The STEM Scale-Up Program provides STEM educational opportunities to approximately one-fifth of Iowa students each year, bringing some of the nation’s best STEM lessons, labs, kits and software to pre-K-12 students. Students who participate in the STEM Scale-Up Program have a proven success rate of performing better on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress as well as more positive attitudes about STEM study and careers, compared to students who did not receive STEM Scale-Up programming.
Visit https://iowastem.org/scale-up/menu for more information on the 2023-24 STEM Scale-Up Programs.