Member Opportunities
NEST membership offers the following opportunities to SEPT alumni who pay dues each year (see dues payment information at the bottom of this page):
Annual NEST Reunion at MIT - Thurs. evening through Sat. morning of SEPT
NEST members are invited back to MIT for a two-day retreat each June - beginning with the McNamara Workshops on the Thursday evening of SEPT and extending through an interactive NEST meeting on Saturday morning.
Teacher of the Year Awards (nominations due March 21)
To celebrate our members who have promoted science, engineering, and technology in and out of the classroom in an extraordinary way, NEST awards one or two educators with the Teacher of the Year award each June - the winning teachers receive a certificate and an award of $250. Nomination letters are typically written by a teacher's principal, supervisor, past students, or fellow NEST members and emailed to sept@mit.edu.
Student Recognition Awards (due April 24 or 4 weeks before requested date)
To encourage and reward student interest in science and mathematics, NEST has created student awards for "science activism" that are presented in a public forum. The awards are based not solely on a student's scholastic achievements, but on the student's outreach into the school and community, and their passion for science. Each NEST member may select one student to recognize. The selected student receives an MIT NEST award certificate and a copy of a book written by an MIT author.
McNamara Workshops
Interested members can submit ideas to lead workshops on the first evening of the NEST Reunion - the Thursday during SEPT week. In the past, presenters have shown their favorite demonstrations or hands-on activities to fellow NEST members and the current SEPT class. Going forward, we're open to new ideas from member proposals!
NEST Newsletter (submissions due March 1 and September 1)
The NEST Newsletter is published (online) twice a year with articles and other contributions from NEST members (such as news about members, personal accounts of educational travel and research, and unique classroom happenings). Avi Ornstein (SEPT '89) is the NEST Newsletter Editor and accepts submissions for the fall and spring issues by September 1st and March 1st, respectively.
NEST Discussion List (NESTD-L)
The NESTD-L is the e-mail list for NEST members. The list broadcasts approximately 3-4 messages each week alerting the membership to items of interest, and provides a vehicle for the exchange of ideas and projects among members. The NESTD-L is the best way to receive announcements about member opportunities and deadlines.
Annual NEST Member Dues (due April 10 or before Student Award requests)
Each SEPT alumnus remains a member of NEST with an annual dues payment of $25.00, which covers the cost of materials and postage for Student Recognition Awards and the Teacher of the Year Award. Detailed instructions for paying dues are announced by the end of January, with a request to pay by check or PayPal:
Please make out your check to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and send to:
Emily Martin, SEPT Coordinator
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
20 Ames Street, E15-301
Cambridge, MA 02142
Or
Pay online using Pay Pal:
