By GALEN HAWES
ADA – East Central University’s Education department has received a summer research grant to help better prepare area teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math – better known by its acronym of STEM.
The Sustainable Energy for Empowering Rural Communities grant program, administered by the National Science Foundation, is for $130,000 across the next three years. Area teachers may apply for this research experience, which takes place beginning summer 2021 and extends through 2023 on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman. During the summer research experience, teachers will receive room and board on the OU campus.
Each successful teacher-applicant attending the grant program will receive a stipend of more than $5,000 and an additional $1,000 for classroom supplies. A qualified attendee must teach STEM-related courses in grades six through 12 at a rural school. For the first year of the grant program, the focus will be on rural schools in counties surrounding the Ada/ECU area.
“This is our first year of the grant program with the University of Oklahoma,” said Dr. David Thornton, ECU Education professor. “The idea is for teachers to take this new STEM knowledge back to their schools to teach their students and hold community workshops.”
The summer 2021 research program lasts for six weeks beginning June 14 and ending July 30. Attending teachers will have a week-long break in the middle of the program, from July 5-9. They will also be allowed to bring family along, thanks to private living areas during the program.
ECU will provide STEM workshops and additional information for interested teachers and administrators in advance of the summer research program on October 24 and November 10 of this year and then on January 6, February 11 and February 16 of next year.
For more information, contact Dr. Thornton at dthorntn@ecok.edu or 580-559-5338.
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