FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2014
Danielle McNamara
(510) 987-0230
Press Release
Note to media: teachers will be engaged in photo-friendly, hands-on projects at sites throughout California listed below.
More than 200 California educators who work with students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds will gather virtually to gain in-depth training of hands-on activities and explore ways to excite students about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.
The Virtual MESA Academy for Science and Mathematics Educators (MASME), on August 9, will feature nine unique workshops on such topics as Common Core, National Science Standards, the magic of chemical demonstrations, an e-cyber challenge and model planes.
Sponsored by Siemens, this professional development opportunity will allow MESA teachers to interact with the larger MESA network, heighten their expertise, learn from STEM professionals, and earn post graduate and professional credit through University of California Santa Barbara.
Participants will attend viewing sites at MESA centers around the state. The conference takes place at the University of Southern California MESAcenter at the Viterbi School of Engineering in Los Angeles, and will be streamed to the viewing sites across the state.
Themed “MESA at the Core of STEM Education,” vMASME provides fresh ways for MESA teachers to connect math and science theory to project-based learning and hands-on practices that will energize students and help them make it through the STEM pipeline to careers in technology. vMASME offers best practices, national trends in STEM education and cutting-edge approaches developed by educators and industry, so that MESA teachers can see and try out new classroom activities and projects.
“vMASME not only provides attendees with the tools to provide high level STEM education to MESA students, but also increases the quality and rigor of STEM education at the entire school,” said MESA Executive Director Dr. Oscar Porter.
MESA teachers will participate in vMASME at the following sites:
Chapman University, CSU Chico, CSU East Bay, CSU Fresno, CSU Long Beach, CSU Los Angeles, Imperial County Office of Education, Resources for Indian Student Education (Alturas, CA), San Diego State University, Santa Rosa Junior College, UC Davis, UC Los Angeles, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, Ukiah Unified School District, University of the Pacific, University of Southern California (host site).
MESA is one of the largest programs in California to support educationally disadvantaged students so they can graduate from college with STEM degrees. MESA provides academic support and enrichment to more than 18,000 K-12 students and more than 7,800 community college and 4-year college students each year. Most MESA students are economically disadvantaged, the first in their families to attend college, and attend underperforming schools.