IMSEP Awarded $1 million NSF Grant to Bridge Business and Teachers of Math and Science
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (April 18, 2011) –The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) announced today they have been awarded a $1,081,904 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This three-year grant will allow up to 150 teachers to learn how math and science are used in all types of businesses within the State of Iowa, exposing over 1,500 middle- and high-school students to examples of how the real world uses science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts.
“The classically American solution to our lagging STEM education performance is a marriage of the nation's public and private sectors for the benefit of learners, many of whom continue to wonder 'When am I ever gonna use this?'” explained Jeff Weld, IMSEP director.
“After a summer applying her or his skills in industry, the mathematics or science teacher returns to school with modern and relevant lessons, plus news of great careers toward which students may aspire. Thanks to the NSF's investment, IMSEP’s Real World Externships for teachers of math, science and technology program can be expanded and thoroughly evaluated statewide."
The Real World Externship program is open to all Iowa middle- and high-school mathematics and science teachers interested in a summer job working with a local business in their community. By working side-by-side with their business peers, teachers learn how their classroom lessons are applied in the day-to-day world of a company. They can then take lessons learned back to the students. Teacher and business host applications are currently being taken for the summer of 2011.
Piloted in the summer of 2008, IMSEP launched the Real World Externship Program for Teachers of Mathematics and Science program matching 10 teachers with 9 Iowa businesses and organizations across the state. Thanks to funding from the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) and the grass roots buzz generated by participating teachers and businesses, the program grew to include 33 teachers from schools in all four corners of the state in 2010. Again this year, businesses have enthusiastically joined the program where, for little or no investment, they gain a highly skilled teacher for six weeks of project work they might not have been able to do otherwise.
Iowa businesses which have participated in this program include Allen Memorial Hospital –Waterloo; Alliant Energy – Cedar Rapids/Marshalltown/Dubuque; City of Carroll – Carroll; Clipper Wind Power - Cedar Rapids; ConAgra Foods – Council Bluffs; Diamond Vogel Paints – Orange City; Diversified Industries/Sundenga – George; Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – Boone/Des Moines/Sioux City; Ellison Technologies Automation – Council Bluffs; Genencor – Cedar Rapids; General Mills, Inc. – Cedar Rapids; Hagie Industries – Clarion; Hy-Vee – Des Moines Corporate /Waterloo; Kemin Industries, Inc. – Des Moines; Lee County Conservation – Montrose; Pella Corporation – Pella; Monsanto Company – Ankeny/Muscatine; Principal Financial Group – Des Moines; Procter & Gamble (P&G) – Cedar Rapids; Rockwell Collins – Cedar Rapids; and Wells’ Dairy, Inc. – Le Mars.
* * *
The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) is a state initiative headquartered at the University of Northern Iowa in partnership with Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. IMSEP’s goals are to improve mathematics and science performance of Iowa students; to prepare more high quality mathematics and science teachers for Iowa’s schools; and to promote statewide collaboration and cooperation. For more information regarding IMSEP, go www.iowamathscience.org/externships/.