News
November 9, 2009
Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) awards first three Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarships
Through a major grant from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, 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), has awarded Tracey Faust (Arlington, IA), Mark Bouska (Dunkerton, IA) and Lora Huber (Hudson, IA) a $10,000 scholarship for their commitment to mathematics or science teaching. The UNI students are among up to five mathematics or science students at each of Iowa’s Regent universities awarded scholarship funds through IMSEP and the Noyce Scholarship program.
The National Science Foundation recently awarded $899,298 to IMSEP to encourage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors and professionals to become middle and high school mathematics and science teachers. The grant will provides money for scholarships, stipends and programs for college students who commit to teaching mathematics and science. Recipients must also fulfill an obligation to teach in a high-need school after graduation.
Jeffrey Weld, director of IMSEP, was excited to announce the scholarship recipients.
"The students honored by this scholarship are the cream of the crop – bright and passionate walking and talking solutions to Iowa's teacher shortage crisis," said Weld. "This investment by the National Science Foundation in Iowa's mathematics and science education partnership is a perfect complement to the teacher and learner supports in place to restore Iowa's math and science education leadership."
These awards complement IMSEP's I-Teach Math & Science, a freshman-level teacher recruitment program established to tap talented incoming college students to produce more science and mathematics teachers for Iowa schools. The NSF award allows IMSEP to provide annual scholarships to junior- and senior-level mathematics and science majors, or STEM-related graduate-level students, from all three public universities. As part of the scholarship award, students commit to teaching for two years in schools where needs are greatest.
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.
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.
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