UNH Launches STEM Teachers Collaborative, Joins National Effort to Prepare 100,000 Excellent STEM Teachers by 2021

Thursday, April 9, 2015

The University of New Hampshire has been selected as a national partner in the 100Kin10 Network, an initiative to train and retain 100,000 excellent science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers by the year 2021.

UNH is one of 200 public- and private-sector organizations to have been selected as a partner in the network. It was recognized for its strong leadership in STEM education and its commitment to expand and improve the nation’s STEM teaching force through its STEM Teachers Collaborative.

“We’re excited to have been selected as a partner in 100Kin10,” says Ruth Varner, director of UNH’s Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science and Engineering Education. “We look forward to establishing the STEM Teachers Collaborative and working with teachers throughout our state.”

The statewide STEM Teachers Collaborative, or STEM-TC, is designed to help strengthen STEM education in the Granite State by bringing new educational and professional development offerings to K-12 teachers to help build their STEM education skills.

Through STEM-TC, UNH will offer new graduate degrees and certificate programs — including online offerings — in STEM disciplines. The effort will also provide more professional development opportunities for STEM educators.

“We’re excited to be an active partner in the professional lives of teachers,” says Leslie Couse, associate professor and chair of the UNH department of education. “The online degree, STEM certificates and professional development opportunities will help us expand the number of excellent STEM teachers and retain those excellent teachers.”

Also through STEM-TC, UNH will develop an online information clearinghouse and will host an annual statewide forum for STEM teachers. The inaugural forum, Science Research in the Classroom,” will be held on May 30, 2015, in Durham.

Senior vice provost for engagement and academic outreach Julie Williams notes that STEM-TC is the result of a university-wide collaboration including partners from The Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science and Engineering Education; the Department of Education; UNH Cooperative Extension; the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences; the STEM Discovery Lab at UNH Manchester, and the Interoperability Lab.

“All of these partners are committed to engagement with and outreach to STEM teachers across the state,” says Williams. “We look forward to, together, continuing to help support New Hampshire's STEM teachers.”

For more information about the STEM Teachers Collaborative, contact stem.teachers.collaborative@unh.edu.