Become a National Science Foundation Teaching Fellow
and change lives. Starting with yours.
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology has called for 100,000 new teachers in the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In response, the National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce Scholarship Program is working with the nation’s top universities to attract and support college graduates who have demonstrated their potential in these fields.
If you are passionate about mathematics or science and would enjoy a career sharing your growing knowledge with young people, you can join the next wave of STEM teachers who will prepare those scientists, engineers, and mathematicians who will lead our nation’s search for answers and innovation.
WHAT is STEM Education?
In essence, STEM Education is a way of teaching and learning that more closely reflects and prepares students for the demands of future STEM careers whose precise form and shape we cannot know. The annual conference registration form for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) states that STEM Education attempts to transform the typical teacher-centered classroom by encouraging a curriculum that is driven by problem-solving, discovery, and exploratory learning. It requires students to actively engage a situation in order to find its solution (NSTA, 2012). We will state further that STEM Education also includes pedagogy that promotes and develops the transferable skills students need to successfully engage in this type of problem solving, namely; critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity.
WHY is STEM Education Critical?
The United States is in crisis. Important skills are needed, including the 3 R's - reading, writing and arithmetic and the 4 C's - critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication. The U.S. Commission on National Security issued a report in 2001 stating that the two greatest threats facing our country are terrorism on U. S. soil and the "failure to manage properly science, technology, and education for the common good over the next quarter century." The President's Council on Science and Technology issued a report in 2010 which states that innovation in science and technology accounted for more than half our economic growth in the United States in the 20th century and an analysis of the future shows that will continue to be true.
Become a Leader in STEM Education!
Did you know that 62% of California's fastest growing occupations require at least some post-secondary vocational education in a STEM related field? However, our high school graduates do not have the sufficient mathematic or critical thinking skills to even enter post-secondary vocation training. Mathematical and scientific literacy are now considered basic core competencies that are included in the definition of a 21st century literate individual. Students leaving high school with these skills will have a variety of college and career options in growing STEM fields that will continue to drive economic growth.
At CGU, we heed the call. Our School of Educational Studies is working to create a whole new breed of STEM teachers who focus on transferable scientific skill sets who can prepare the next generation of American workers and leaders. We have taken into account publications such as, Rising Above the Gathering Storm (2005), which highlights the lack of progress American students are making in math and science education and its relationship to the ways we teach STEM in the U.S. In 2010, researchers continued to conclude that we have made little or no progress in the teaching of STEM in K-12 settings at large. Our high schools still remain highly compartmentalized, teaching subjects in isolation with little or no attempts to draw connections between the STEM disciplines and their real-world applications. Recent research has shown that student achievement is significantly impacted when these links are made.
Won’t you join us? At CGU, we’re seeking committed individuals who love math and science and want to make an impact through teaching the next generation the necessary critical skills to succeed.
The PhysTEC project has produced an inspiring two-minute video introduction to the benefits of the
Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, as told by two Noyce Scholars and a Noyce Program Coordinator.
(PhysTEC is a joint APS-American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) project
to improve and promote the education of future physics and physical science teachers.)
How the Program Works
To qualify you must have a major or minor (or an equivalent degree) in a STEM discipline, have a distinguished record of academic performance, and agree to teach for two years in a diverse public school. After one summer of instruction you will qualify for an internship credential that allows you to teach – fully salaried – while you complete your credential over the next three semesters.
Learn how you can receive $20,000 or more to help pay Tuition
You will have access to the many financial, technological, and career benefits that come with being an NSF Fellow, including up to 80% of your tuition.
NSF Fellows are guaranteed A MINIMUM GRANT OF $20,000. This financial support is for one year of graduate study* that leads to a teaching credential and MA in Education. Additional funds are also available, such as:
TEACH GRANT – Commit to two more years (4 years total) teaching K-12 in any designated low-income school and receive an additional $8,000 towards your tuition.
MINORITY AND OTHER FELLOWSHIPS – CGU offers additional fellowships for minorities and outstanding applicants. Please contact your program administrator for further information.
LOAN FORGIVENESS – Agreeing to teach K-12 in a low-income school can also result in the cancelation of $17,500 in student loans (undergraduate or graduate).
FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT – After completing your credential, you can qualify for an additional $2,000 by attending monthly professional development seminars.
NSF Fellows also receive these benefits:
APPLE iPAD – The program also provides each grantee with an iPad for developing and analyzing high-quality lessons you can share with your fellow teachers.
ANNUAL CONFERENCES – As an NSF Teaching Fellow you have opportunities to attend and present at NSF’s prestigious conferences.
*If you are now a student at one of the Claremont Colleges, inquire about integrating your undergraduate work towards your CGU Education credential.
The United States is in crisis. Important skills are needed, including the 3 R's - reading, writing and arithmetic and the 4 C's - critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication. The U.S. Commission on National Security issued a report in 2001 stating that the two greatest threats facing our country are terrorism on U. S. soil and the "failure to manage properly science, technology, and education for the common good over the next quarter century." The President's Council on Science and Technology issued a report in 2010 which states that innovation in science and technology accounted for more than half our economic growth in the United States in the 20th century and an analysis of the future shows that will continue to be true.
vocational education in a STEM related field? However, our high school graduates do not have the sufficient mathematic or critical thinking skills to even enter post-secondary vocation training. Mathematical and scientific literacy are now considered basic core competencies that are included in the definition of a 21st century literate individual. Students leaving high school with these skills will have a variety of college and career options in growing STEM fields that will continue to drive economic growth.
2013 Claremont Graduate University 
150 E. 10th St., Claremont, CA 91711 