On April 22, P. Uri Treisman, University of Texas at Austin professor of mathematics and director of the Charles A. Dana Center, presented the 2009 Langenberg Lecture: Perspectives on Education, before a crowd of approximately 300 people at the Marriott Inn and Conference Center at UMUC. Treisman is a renowned advocate of education and education access. He described his work in creating UT-Austin’s U-TEACH program, which enables STEM majors to become highly qualified teachers within the same timeframe as their major by integrating education courses into science and mathematics curricula. The Langenberg Lecture was established in honor of Chancellor Emeritus Donald L. Langenberg to “inspire its audience with a new vision for education in this country”. The event includes the Langenberg Award, which is “bestowed upon a student who has shown great promise in and commitment to a career in education.” This year’s award recipient is UMUC student Jessica Raines.

The Lecture served as a kickoff for the USM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Symposium. The Symposium brought together System education faculty and staff, as well as educators, researchers and policy makers from across the state and beyond, to discuss the challenges associated with effectively teaching STEM subjects. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan presented the new administration’s priorities with respect to teacher recruitment and retention, as well as educational access and attainment.

USM Regent Norman Augustine led a panel at lunch in response to the morning’s speakers. Augustine chaired the National Academies committee that produced the report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, which concludes that STEM teachers are critical to maintaining and improving national economic competitiveness. Others on the panel included Irving Goldstein, USM senior vice chancellor for academic affairs (moderator); Rizwan Siddiqi, vice president of EBA Engineering, Inc.; Ann Coren, Master Science Teacher, Montgomery County Public Schools; Wanda Ward, acting assistant director for NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources; Nancy Grasmick, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools; and Nancy Shapiro, USM associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Chancellor Kirwan has called for the USM to triple the number of math and science teachers graduating from its institutions. Each university president will develop a plan to map out strategies to boost the number of STEM teachers at their respective institutions.

A special thank you to Whiting Turner Contracting, Inc., which donated $25,000 to a scholarship fund for students who are studying to become STEM teachers. Emmes Corporation and USM Foundation director Sam Zappas also gave to this fund.

Tags: April 2009

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 at 12:50 pm