WWU Gets $1.8 Million NSF Grant to Research STEM Teacher Prep in Washington
Western Washington University has received a $1.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help create the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher-preparation programs in the state.
“This grant and the work it will do is built around a common vision with our partners about what the next group of STEM teachers in Washington will need to be successful,” said Ed Geary, director of Western’s Science, Math and Technology Education (SMATE) program.
Western’s $1.8 million is part of a larger $3 million grant that was distributed among seven state partners: Western, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Seattle Pacific University, WSU-Vancouver, UW-Tacoma and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland. Also participating in the study are faculty from the University of Washington, Washington State University, Walla Walla University, Whitman College, Heritage University, Northwest University, Western Governor’s University, and Seattle University as well as a number of two-year institutions.
“What this really boils down to is a collaborative effort by all the partners to make the science and mathematics teachers of tomorrow far more ready to enter the classroom and prepare Washington students for 21st century STEM jobs. By collaborating, instead of competing, we hope to build a model that can be replicated in other states or regions,” Geary said.
Geary said each of the partner institutions has strengths they bring to the table and that the idea of a large collaboration instead of individual competition was one of the factors that made their proposal attractive to the NSF.
“We are looking ahead at trying to understand the challenges that STEM teachers and students in 2030 will be facing. What will they need to succeed? And how can we begin preparing for that now?” he said.
For example, a teacher who leaves an undergraduate program such as Western’s prepared to teach Physics may also need to step in and teach a related subject such as Math, and this new model will address how teachers can be better prepared to take on those challenges. These next generation programs will also help prepare K-12 teachers in Engineering and Computer Science – two fields that will only grow in relevance over the next two decades.
Besides creating better prepared STEM teachers, the research will also address a critical state need for more teachers that better reflect the state’s demographic diversity.
“We need a more diverse STEM teacher work force, it’s that simple,” he said. The research will examine ways to attract and support more Washington students in STEM disciplines and careers with a particular emphasis on more teachers of color pursuing STEM teaching careers. They will examine potential pathways to opening this recruitment funnel into STEM, such as tuition-forgiveness programs for teachers willing to teach in underserved districts after graduation; boosting exposure for the critical role teachers play in our state; and seeking pay raises for STEM teachers to make these positions more attractive to students.
For more information, contact Ed Geary at (360) 650-3637 or Edward.geary@wwu.edu.