Summer Research Fellowship Program for High School Science Teachers

The immediate goal of this two year program is to provide 20 high school science teachers from the New York area with practical experience in research in modern biology, biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, genetics and molecular biology so that they can transmit to their students knowledge gained regarding content, scientific method, and the excitement of scientific research. The program was created to develop a partnership in science education between high school science teachers and University faculty and to encourage sustained associations between them. Participants in the program are committed to working in a Columbia University research laboratory for at least two consecutive summers. A major premise of the program is that affiliations of science teachers with research laboratories and practicing scientists will provide the teachers with a better appreciation of the excitement of scientific discovery, the tools and technologies of modern biology and chemistry, the trajectory of a scientist's career and the realities of working as a scientist. Based on the knowledge and experience gained during the summer research experience, teachers are expected to plan and implement a series of activities in their schools during the following academic years. These activities may include inservice offerings, implementation of new student laboratory experiences, new curriculum projects, field trips to research laboratories, or other appropriate activities. An amount equal to 42.4 % of NSF cost will be provided as cost share.