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STEM Center
STEM Center History
The Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel in 2006 and the PK-16 Advisory Committees in 2006 assessed STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education in the state, and in light of the recommendations made by those committees, Rhode Island College (RIC) developed a proposal to develop a new STEM Center as a hub where there would be coordination of efforts to follow those recommendations; new strategies and initiatives would be developed and implemented to improve STEM education in the state and within RIC. The proposal led to the creation of the Center for STEM Education Excellence (STEM Center) and an allocation of $4.5 million in capital funds from the state to create e-classroom learning environments at RIC and improving delivery of undergraduate STEM education and professional development for in-service STEM educators.
STEM Center Vision and Mission
The vision of the Center for STEM Education Excellence (STEM Center) is to improve the quality of STEM education throughout the state of Rhode Island, and within Rhode Island College in particular. The center will train STEM educators and other professionals who will be the next generation of scientists, engineers, teachers, and other professionals in STEM areas. The mission of the center is to increase collaboration, develop new initiatives within Rhode Island College, and support and develop continuous and rigorous preparation, professional development and recruitment of high quality STEM teachers and other STEM professionals. In partnership with other institutions, the center will develop strategies to increase student awareness, interest, motivation, and achievement in STEM at the primary, secondary, and undergraduate levels.
STEM Center Goals
- To create world-class learning environments for pre-service and in-service teacher education.
- To provide excellent pre-service and in-service teacher training through continuous and rigorous preparation and professional development, with consistency in methods and content training.
- To better align training offered by school districts, collaboratives, and institutions of higher learning, especially Rhode Island College.
- To foster collaboration and communication “horizontally” between school districts, between schools and departments within RIC, and between RIC and other institutions of higher learning or professional development providers such as collaboratives, as well “vertically” between K-12 and higher education.
- To generate student awareness, interest, motivation, and achievement in STEM, and increase the number of students pursuing careers in STEM areas.
- To offer opportunities for teachers and students to obtain practical training, especially in inquiry, that will better prepare them for careers in STEM.
STEM Center Organizational Structure
Staff
- Glênisson de Oliveira (Director)
- Laura Creighton (Assistant Director)
Advisory Committee
· Dave Abbott (Rhode Island Department of Education)
· David Byrd (URI School of Education)
· Nancy Carriuolo (RIC Academic Affairs, RIOHE)
· David Cedrone (STEM Program Manager, Office of the Governor)
· Glênisson de Oliveira (Director, STEM Center)
· Janet Durfee-Hidalgo (Office of the Governor)
· Roger Eldridge (RIC Feinstein School of Education and Human Development)
· Bill Euler (Chemistry URI, Co-Chair PK-16 Advisory Committee to Governor)
· Peter McLaren (RIDE, Co-Chair PK-16 Advisory Committee to Governor)
