Research Experience for Teachers

In order to reach out to middle school and high school students, NSEC has participated in a Research Experience for Teachers program since 2002. This NSEC RET effort is coordinated through Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP), which was founded in 1990 by Dr. Samuel C. Silverstein, Professor in the Department of Physiology in the College of Physicians & Surgeons. The Program is administered by Jay Dubner, Program Coordinator.

The primary aim of the SRP is to provide New York metropolitan area middle and high school science teachers with sustained hands-on experience in scientific research so they can better understand the practice of science, and better transmit to their students and fellow teachers a feeling for its practice. Each teacher spends two consecutive summers working as a laboratory research assistant under the supervision of a Columbia faculty mentor. Opportunities are available in a variety of science disciplines and academic departments.

NSEC sponsored two teachers in the summers of 2002 and 2003: Florence Dodier of Malverne High School on Long Island, who worked in Professor Ronald Breslow's laboratory in the Department of Chemistry, and Thomas Byrne of New Rochelle High School in Westchester, who worked in Professor Stephen O'Brien's laboratory in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. For the summers of 2004 and 2005, the program was expanded to three teachers. Annie Chien of School of the Future in Manhattan worked in Professor Ronald Breslow's laboratory, Jason Choi of Sleepy Hollow High School in Sleepy Hollow, NY worked in Professor Philip Kim's laboratory, and Zulema Jones-Enoe of Juan Morel Campos I.S. 71 in Brooklyn worked in Professor Colin Nuckolls' laboratory. 2006 brought Ghulam Firdaus from the Law and Public Service High School in Manhattan who worked in the Professor Irving Herman's laboratory and Lesley Glinoga from Pascack Hills High School in New Jersey who worked in Professor Siu Wai Chan's laboratory

Columbia's Program also provides each teacher with a stipend for each of the two summers; Internet training; a modem or network card for his/her school's computer; a two year subscription to America Online; individual funds following each summer to purchase supplies, materials and equipment for the classroom; and the opportunity to attend a professional conference.

On a day-to-day basis, each teacher works on a project with a graduate student or postdoc, so there is always someone immediately available to answer questions or provide guidance. The teachers also participate in the weekly group meetings in which group members present the research they've been working on. They can attend seminars and other special events, and have access to Columbia's libraries.

In addition to doing research, the teachers meet as a group once a week. These sessions give them the opportunity to discuss strategies and ideas for teaching science and bringing what they have learned in the lab back to the classroom. Special emphasis is placed on using computers and the internet. The teachers also share what they've been doing in the lab, including giving formal research presentations at the end of the summer. Even after the program ends, the teachers remain in contact with each other and with Jay Dubner. This creates a very valuable network, since more than 100 teachers have participated in the program since its beginning. The lesson plans developed by the teachers remain available on the SRP website as well.

"The more we know about what's going on, the more we know about science, the more we can convey to the students," says Florence Dodier, who teaches chemistry. The teachers see many benefits from their research experience, both for their students and for themselves. They are able to make their classrooms more interactive and their laboratory sessions more useful, with less emphasis on "cookbook science" and more emphasis on learning and discovery. Students who become more involved in their science classes and see their teachers' commitment to and excitement about science are more likely to become interested in science themselves. These kinds of experiences provide excellent groundwork for future careers in research. Through the SRP, the teachers gain a better understanding of what it takes to be a research scientist. Thus, they are better able to advise and prepare their students.

For more information on the Summer Research Program for Secondary School Science Teachers, please see http://www.scienceteacherprogram.org/ or contact Justine Herrera at jh2477@columbia.edu.

Lesson Plans

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006