NASA-PLAN Teachers Academy Announced
EAST HARTFORD, CT, JULY 13, 2007: The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT), in partnership with the Connecticut Space Grant College Consortium, is sponsoring an innovative summer professional development program that will introduce middle- and high-school teachers to the latest developments in science and technology. From July 30th through August 9th, 18 teachers from throughout the state will participate in workshops led by “Master Instructors” - university professors and industry experts - as part of the first session of the NASA-PLAN Teachers Academy on the University of Hartford campus. The NASA-PLAN Teachers Academy provides science and technology-education teachers with the knowledge and skills they will need to help make students in grades 7-12 aware of the exciting opportunities available to them in emerging technologies. The PLAN Academy is co-sponsored by the Office for Workforce Competitiveness and the new Connecticut Science Center.
During eight days of summer coursework and two additional workshops during the academic year, participating teachers will have hands-on experience with the nature and practical applications of Photonics, Lasers, Aeronautics, and Nanotechnology (PLAN). Master Instructors have aligned their curriculum with the K-12 Science Framework established by the Connecticut State Department of Education. According to Susan Palisano, Director of Education Initiatives for the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, “The long-term vision of the partnership between CCAT and the Connecticut Space Grant College Consortium is to help supply a workforce for emerging technologies by engaging student interest in these fields of science. The Academy will serve to educate teachers in PLAN concepts and assist them in teaching this material effectively.” Teachers will participate in activities designed to enrich the science background of their students and increase student participation and achievement in PLAN content areas. A second year of participation in the NASA-PLAN Teachers Academy will prepare teachers to take on the role of Academy Fellows, presenting workshops at state and national science conventions and leading special Saturday programs at the new Connecticut Science Center.
Master Instructors for the summer session of the NASA-PLAN Teachers Academy include Dr. Brian D. Huey, Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Connecticut; Dr. James McDonald, Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Hartford; and Dr. William Cousins, Engineering Fellow at Pratt & Whitney.
The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology is a non-stock, tax-exempt corporation that works in partnership with industry, government, and academia to strengthen technology-led economic competitiveness. CCAT’s education efforts support the development of interdisciplinary, collaborative, project-based programs that engage students, foster a multicultural appreciation, advance scientific and technological literacy, and stimulate creativity and innovation.
Please contact Elinor Hargreaves, 860-291-8832, for further information.
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