“Spotlight on STEM”

This year, Iowa State’s strengthening the Professoriate (SP&ISU) will host its first Campus Programs and Broader Impacts Resource Fair. The emphasis of the fair will be on Science, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. According to the event page, “Campus programs and other potential broader impact partners will be available to consult and discuss options for collaboration with faculty in assisting with their broader impact plans.” The fair is geared toward faculty, staff and graduate students.

The fair is especially important to faculty, as many programs with connect with faculty to inform faculty of STEM programs on Iowa State’s campus. “One thing we have found is that many STEM faculty are not well trained in interacting with programs, and that this is necessary as a part of grant writing,” said Megan Heitmann, a program assistant of SP@ISU. The grants, written by faculty help fund many STEM education and program initiatives. “Our goal is to help faculty members write grants, not all grant-writers are part of STEM faculty,” Heitmann said.

The fair will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, April 4, 2012 in the Howe Hall Atrium from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. A complete list of programs and partners hosting tables can be found online at spisu.iastate.edu/events.

Following the fair, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Dr. timothy Scott, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Texas A&M University and co-director for the Center for Mathematics and Science Education a at Texas A&M will give a presentation on STEM education. Dr. Scott’s research focuses on teaching and learning in science and student success.

For more information on the fair or lecture contact [email protected] or [email protected].