Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership Day at Capitol
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) will host IMSEP Day at the State Capitol in Des Moines on Monday, February 21 from 10:00am to 2:30pm. A showcase of the state’s best and brightest programs to strengthen STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education, 32 exhibits will be on-hand portraying their respective roles in building a tech-savvy citizenry and competitive workforce.
The event will be held on the first floor Rotunda of the State Capitol Building. Legislators and the general public are invited to visit with professionals representing higher education, K-12 education, informal education, and business and industry to learn how they are shaping tomorrow’s STEM leaders.
“In its two and-a-half year existence, IMSEP has made great progress on the goals of increased math and science teacher recruitment, improved math and science performance of K-12 youth and improved collaboration among stakeholders. That progress is only possible through the shared commitment of scores of talented professionals united in commitment to our state’s future,” said IMSEP Director Jeff Weld. More than 26,000 students, 500 pre-service teachers and nearly 1,500 mathematics and science teachers in 185 Iowa communities in 88 counties have participated in IMSEP activities involving over 100 university faculty and staff in 2010 alone.
Exhibitors will demonstrate outreach programs that touch all stages of math and science learning for students, educators and citizens. This includes pre-service teacher preparation to professional development for teachers currently in the classroom, to conferences, camps, workshops and other youth enrichment activities, that spread the thrill of mathematics and science through innovative programming. Representatives from several IMSEP public/private partners, including Rockwell Collins, Pella Corporation, John Deere, the Science Center of Iowa will be present as well.
In 2008, the state launched an ambitious plan for repositioning Iowa as a leader in science and mathematics education with the creation of IMSEP. A partnership of the state’s three public universities, IMSEP is headquartered on the University of Northern Iowa campus and charged with improving the mathematics and science performance of Iowa students while preparing more high-quality mathematics and science teachers for Iowa’s schools. For more information regarding IMSEP, go to www.iowamathscience.org.
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