Big Grant for UT Tyler

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler has received $893,475 from the National Science Foundation to support the new Noyce Scholars Program, Dr. Arlene Horne, vice president for research and federal relations, announced. The five-year grant provides academic scholarships for high achieving juniors and seniors seeking degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) who will also seek teacher certification through the university’s UTeach program.

“The UT Tyler Noyce Scholars Program encourages STEM majors to become teachers by supporting them through the most rigorous portion of their program – their upper division content courses and their field-based pedagogical courses including apprentice teaching,” said Dr. Bambi Bailey, UT Tyler associate professor of science education and program co-coordinator. “There is a high need for STEM teachers in our region. This program will support the development of over 30 new STEM teachers over the course of the next five years.” The first five Noyce Scholars will be chosen early this fall.

Noyce Scholars will teach in high-need secondary schools one year for each semester of support they receive. In addition, the program supports freshman and sophomore STEM majors considering entering the UTeach program. Dr. Michael Odell, UT Tyler Roosth professor of science education and engineering; and Dr. Fredericka Brown, UT Tyler assistant professor of mechanical engineering, also serve as program coordinators. UT Tyler last year received grants totaling $1.4 million to establish the UTeach program, which originated at UT Austin in 1997.

According to UTT officials, the core elements of the UTeach program include active recruitment and incentives, such as:
– Offering the first two courses for free;
– A compact degree program that allows students to graduate in four years with both a degree and a teaching certification;
– Strong focus on acquiring deep content knowledge in math and science, in addition to research-based teaching strategies focusing on teaching and learning math and science;
– Early and intensive field teaching experience, beginning in the UTeach students’ first semester;
– Personal attention and guidance from highly experienced master teachers, faculty, and successful public school teachers.
For more information about the UT Tyler Noyce Scholars Program, contact Bailey at BBailey@uttyler.edu or 903.565.5937.