Science & Engineering Program for Teachers

STEM Fellowship

Every year, the MIT Science and Engineering Program for Teachers (SEPT) selects approximately fifty teachers to share MIT's perspective on how engineers apply the principles of science to meet the technological needs of society. The value of this integrated perspective, combining the leading-edge research in math and the sciences with engineering, advanced technologies, global economics, and policy issues has been enthusiastically endorsed by MIT.

This year — for the first time in program history — Boston-area educators who submit applications to the SEPT are eligible for a unique fellowship opportunity that covers the entire cost of the week-long program, including room and board.

If you teach middle school science or math in the Boston area and are interested in learning new ways to integrate engineering and technology into your curriculum, you already have what it takes to be a STEM Fellow!

STEM Fellows will receive a $750.00 scholarship to attend the SEPT program at MIT from Sunday, June 22, 2008 through Saturday, June 28, 2008. The scholarship entitles each fellow to a full week of seminars and workshops led by MIT professors, a special evening out with the group, on-campus, double-occupancy housing in MIT dorms; three meals every day on campus; opening reception and closing banquet dinner; course handouts and all other materials related to the program. At the conclusion of the program, participants have the option of receiving 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

After completing the week-long SEPT course, STEM fellows will transition to a 5 week appointment as Teaching Mentors for the STEM Program Summer Institute (June 30, 2008 through August 1, 2008). The STEM Summer Institute offers free courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to talented middle school students who attend public schools in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Each of the eight STEM fellows will be assigned to one Summer Institute teaching team; the fellows will work with our undergraduate teaching staff to plan age-appropriate lessons in the following subject areas, with the aim of facilitating the college students’ transition to middle school teaching:

Topics in Algebra	Level 1: Entering 6th Graders
Biology	Level 1: Entering 6th Graders
Chemistry for Engineers	Level 2: Entering 7th Graders
Physics for Engineers	Level 2: Entering 7th Graders
Vector Mechanics	Level 3: Entering 8th Graders
Probability & Statistics	Level 3: Entering 8th Graders
Robotics	Level 4: Entering 9th Graders
Precalculus	Level 4: Entering 9th Graders

In addition to helping our instructional teams develop core curriculum, the fellows will also maintain a regular presence in the STEM classrooms, observing our staff’s pedagogical techniques and providing feedback in small group “training” sessions to be held after the middle schoolers have departed for the day. Once a week, they will model effective methods for interactive learning — focusing on the integration of science and engineering — by “guest teaching” one lesson in the STEM classroom. For their commitment to our program, the teaching fellows will receive a weekly honorarium ($200.00/week for 5 weeks) to compensate them for their time and for daily travel to and from the Institute.

To apply for the STEM Fellowship, please complete the SEPT application, which you can download here. Indicate at the beginning of your essay that you are interested in serving as a STEM Fellow. Decisions will be announced in mid-April.

To learn more about SEPT, please visit http://web.mit.edu/scienceprogram/ or email Jennie Pakradooni at jenniep@mit.edu.

To learn more about the STEM Program and the STEM Fellowship, please visit http://web.mit.edu/stem or call Erin Salius at 617-253-8051.

We look forward to hearing from you!