IMSEP Receives $900,000 NSF Grant to Fund Future Mathematics and Science Teachers
Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Award will provide scholarships at all three Regent universities
A major grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program will help Iowa’s three public universities put more math and science teachers in Iowa’s classrooms over the next five years.
The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP), a collaboration between the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), Iowa State University (ISU) and the University of Iowa (UI), recently won a $899,298 award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to encourage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors and professionals to become middle and high school math and science teachers. The grant will not only provide money for scholarships, stipends and programs for college students who commit to teaching math and science, it also requires them to teach in high-needs schools, defined as those schools with a high percentage of student poverty, a high percentage of out-of-field teachers or a higher than average teacher turnover rate.
"We all rely increasingly on math and science with every passing year," said Weld. "Yet data from multiple sources reminds us of the need to focus on improving student performance in math and science if we are going to compete in today’s global, knowledge-based economy. Leveraging state and federal dollars will allow us to put more high-quality STEM teachers into Iowa’s classrooms."
This is the first federal grant awarded to the organization since its inception in 2008. The grant application was written by key STEM leaders within Iowa’s three state universities: Jeffrey Weld, Ph.D., director, IMSEP; Thomas Greenbowe, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and coordinator of general chemistry, Iowa State University, Norbert Pienta, PhD, professor and director of undergraduate studies (chemistry), University of Iowa and Marc Armstrong, Ph.D., professor and chair, department of geography and administrative fellow, University of Iowa.
The NSF award will allow IMSEP to provide annual scholarships of $10,000 to junior- and senior-level math and science majors, or STEM-related graduate-level students, from all three universities. For each scholarship given, students are committing to teaching for two years in schools where needs are greatest. These awards complement the IMSEP I-Teach Program, a freshmen-level recruitment program established to tap talented incoming college students and produce more science and mathematics teachers for Iowa schools. Launched in fall 2008, dozens of talented new recruits have participated in I-Teach Programs on three campuses — ISU, UNI and North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC).
The NSF’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program was launched in 2002 to encourage talented STEM majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. Named after Iowa native and Grinnell College graduate Robert Norton Noyce, recognized as one of the inventors of the microchip, the grant provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends, and academic programs for undergraduate STEM majors and post-baccalaureate students holding STEM degrees who commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts.
Applications for IMSEP Noyce Scholar scholarships will be available for the fall 2009-2010 academic year.
The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) is a state funded initiative led by 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.