Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program

Triangle Coalition For Science And Technology Education, Arlington VA

Investigators

Abstract

Directorates/offices across the National Science Foundation (NSF) will host twenty (20) K-12 science and mathematics teachers as Fellows of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEDEF) program. The AEDEF program is a Congressionally-mandated program under the auspices of the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE). NSF participates in AEDEF through a grant to the Triangle Coalition that manages the program for DOE. The objectives of the program are to: (1) provide outstanding STEM teachers the opportunity to bring to Congress and appropriate branches of the Federal government the insights, extensive knowledge, and practical experience of classroom teachers; (2) increase the understanding, communication, and cooperation between Congress and Federal agencies; (3) increase the understanding, communication and cooperation between the Federal government and the science, technology and mathematics education community; and (4) gain insights and an understanding of national educational issues which can then be transferred back to the classroom. While at NSF, each Fellow has a sponsor who will oversee all activities and experiences. The Fellows will engage in a wealth of STEM activities within their respective directorates/offices such as regular meetings and discussions about research, discoveries, and practices; directorate-wide advisory meetings; seminars; briefings; brown bags; and distinguished lectures of national and international prominence. Externally, the Fellows will interact with their respective members of Congress and their staffs; visit the Goddard Space Flight Center, the National Institutes of Health, the Library of Congress, and the National Academy of Sciences. AEDEF offers a wealth of rich experiences that will likely advance the STEM knowledge of participating teachers personally and professionally. Individually and as a group, Fellows present at national, state, and local workshops and conferences to disseminate information about their experiences and to help recruit potential candidates for the program. Teachers will serve their fellowship in the Biological Sciences, Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Education and Human Resources, and Geosciences directorates at NSF. They will also be hosted by the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships, the National Science Board, Office of Cyberinfrastructure, International Science and Engineering, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, and the Polar Programs. The teachers represent Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Washington, DC, and Wisconsin. Other agencies participating in the program include NASA, NOAA, and DOE.