Update on proposed new Master's degrees for Chemistry Teachers from Illinois State University

I just wanted to give you an update on new Master's degrees for chemistry teachers at Illinois State University. On May 8th, the Board of Trustees of Illinois State University approved a new Master of Chemistry Education and a Master of Science in Chemistry Education. The final step for approval is that these degrees are to be sent to the Illinois Board of Higher Education for approval over the summer.

As you may be aware we have a cohort of teachers who are currently taking courses in anticipation of the degrees being approved. Essentially, we will offer online courses during the academic year and 1 course per summer leading to either an MS-Chemistry Education or to the Master of Chemistry Education degree. These degrees will be teacher-friendly with most tuition and fees waived for the first cohort and with a summer stipend and housing provided for those in the MCE program. Students will finish the degree over the next two years. It is not too late to join the first program. We have space for 3 or 4 teachers if you would like to start the program this summer. If you are interested we are teaching CHE 380.48 Advanced Chemistry: Curriculum & Pedagogy at ISU this summer. Between July 6th to July 17th, we will house, feed, and pay you a stipend while you take the course. If you would like more information about the course or the overall program, please feel free to contact me (whunter@ilstu.edu).

Also (obviously) feel free to share the information with anyone who might be interested.

Regards,

WillyHunter

1.

This is from Willy Hunter from Illinois State: For the coming school year (2009-10) and likely for the subsequent year, at ISU we are able to support a Teacher/Mentor-in-Residence program as part of the various Illinois Mathematics and Science Partnerships. Essentially, the people selected (and we might have as many as three available) would take a couple of classes, mentor some undergraduate pre-service teachers, and also conduct research on the effectiveness of the IMSP Chemistry, Mathematics or STEM Technology Masters degree programs. Chances are the most simple way to make this happen would be for people to take a leave of absence or sabbatical from their home district and at ISU we would pay the equivalent salary directly to the teacher. If you are interested, or know of someone who might be interested, please feel free to have them contact Willy (whunter@ilstu.edu) , so we can discuss it further.

2. This is from Michelle Chappell at U of I: Enhancing Chemistry is an annual one-day workshop at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Enhancing Chemistry is designed to provide high school chemistry teachers with new ideas, practical suggestions, and materials to enhance their chemistry teaching. It is also a great chance to meet other teachers from around the state of Illinois. The next Enhancing Chemistry conference will be on Friday, March 20, 2009. A program of events, registration information, and directions can be found at: Enhancing Chemistry ( http://www.conferences.uiuc.edu/enhancingchemistry/)
Older Stuff:

1) 2009 American Chemical Society High School Programs ·

ACS Summer Research Fellowships Program for High School Chemistry Teachers
ACS Chem Club
2009 USNCO Chemistry Olympiad
2009 ACS Scholarship Exam
Great Lakes Regional Meeting- Marriott Lincolnshire, Illinois
Project SEED

Scroll down below to find out more about each program listed.


ACS Summer Research Fellowships Program for High School Chemistry Teachers
$7,000 stipend and valuable research experience

The American Chemical Society, Office of High School Chemistry, would like to invite you to participate in the 2009 Summer Research Fellowships for High School Chemistry Teachers Program. The American Chemical Society Summer Research Fellowships for High School Chemistry Teachers are administered by the American Chemical Society (ACS), with the support of Motorola, and are a unique opportunity for high school chemistry teachers to spend a summer conducting hands-on research with a scientist in a laboratory setting. These fellowships are initiated and hosted by mentors at research institutions (academic, government, or industrial laboratories). Under the guidance of the mentor, teachers work eight weeks on a hands-on research project and are awarded a $7,000 stipend. Mentors will receive a $500 honorarium.

Eligibility
Applicants for the ACS Summer Research Fellowships for High School Chemistry Teachers Program must be current, active high school chemistry teachers. Applicants should be committed to teach high school chemistry during the 2009-2010 term. Applicants should be enthusiastic, engaged, and committed to cultivating their students’ interest in science. There are no restrictions with regard to age, rank, or length of service of teachers.

Application Process – Resume due by Monday February 23, 2009 1. Applicants submit a résumé to Ami LeFevre, local ACS Summer Research Fellowships coordinator, by email to amilef@niles-hs.k12.il.us. These résumés should include current contact information, education (include schools and degrees), teaching experience (include dates and places of employment), and related professional experiences. 2. The local coordinator will forward résumés to mentors who schedule interviews with applicants of interest. 3. Upon selection by a mentor, applicant eligibility is verified by the ACS Office of High School Chemistry staff. 4. A formal acceptance letter will be issued to selected teachers by the ACS Office of High School Chemistry during May 2009. Requirements and Responsibilities of Recipients Teachers who have been awarded an ACS Summer Research Fellowships will perform research in the laboratory of the identified mentor for eight weeks at approximately 40 hours per week during the summer of 2009. Start and end dates should be mutually agreed upon by recipients and mentors and are based upon the schedules of both parties. Teachers may be expected to present their summer research in settings such as the lab group, a chemistry department research symposium, or professional meeting. The mentor will determine the most appropriate setting.

ACS Summer Research Fellowship recipients must also submit the following items: · Survey I (administered electronically) · Survey II (administered electronically) · Final Report (three to five pages) of the summer’s work which is co-signed by the mentor. · Lesson plan/activity that incorporates aspects of your summer research experience which is co-signed by the mentor. These will be posted on www.acs.org for viewing and use by other chemistry teachers. A general format and additional details will be provided.

Please send your resume to Ami LeFevre by February 23, 2009. Or contact Ami with questions at amilef@niles-hs.k12.il.us or by phone at (847) 626-2771.

ACS Chem Club -FREE support materials for science clubs
Do you have a Science Club? Or would you like to start a Science Club?

The ACS Education Division would like to send you FREE materials- no strings attached! You only need to register to receive support materials. While the club sponsor and the students are directly in charge of shaping the character and direction of their clubs, the ACS Office of High School Chemistry provides support such as: o Start-up manual o Quarterly resource packets o T-Shirts (chartered clubs only) o Charters (chartered clubs only) o Connections to ACS Local Sections o Connections to ACS Student Affiliate Chapters

How can I sign up or get more information? Visit http://fs7.formsite.com/ACSEducation/form709367230/index.html to sign up for introductory materials. For additional information, contact High School Chemistry Clubs staff at hschemclubs@acs.org or email Ami LeFevre at amilef@niles-hs.k12.il.us What is the ACS High School Chemistry Club Program? The ACS High School Chemistry Clubs Program provides fun, authentic, and hands-on opportunities for members to experience chemistry beyond what is taught in the classroom, learn about study and career opportunities in the many and varied fields of chemistry, and provide service for the betterment of their communities.

What do High School Chemistry Clubs do? Current clubs have reported activities such as demonstration shows and hands-on labs with elementary school students, National Chemistry Week outreach, fundraisers, field trips, talks on chemistry careers, homecoming parade floats, and laboratory investigations.

2009 USNCO Chemistry Olympiad
Chemistry competition for high school chemistry students at the advanced level.

The U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) is a multi-tiered competition designed to stimulate and promote achievement in high school chemistry. Sponsored by the American Chemical Society, the national competition highlights significant national achievement. Each year, four students are chosen to represent the United States team at the International Chemistry Olympiad competition. This year’s local UNSCO Exam, is scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2009 at Loyola University, Chicago, IL. Room and time to be determined. Registration is required. Contact Tracy Mitchell, USNCO Coordinator, at TLHM_61@hotmail.com or Linda Bennett at lbennett@naperville203.org. for more information.
To learn more about the Chemistry Olympiad visit www.acs.org under Education/High School and Chemistry Olympiad links. You will also find past exams and lab practicals.

2009 ACS Scholarship Exam
$5,000 to $200 scholarships available to first-year chemistry students at the high school level.

The Chicago Section of the American Chemical Society is sponsoring the 2009 Scholarship Examination. High school students in the Chicago area who are presently enrolled in the first year of high school level chemistry are eligible. A.P. Chemistry is not considered a first year high school chemistry course. The exam will be held at North Central College, in Naperville, Illinois Saturday, May 23rd, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Room number to be determined. Registration is required. Contact Linda Bennett at lbennett@naperville203.org. for more information.

ACS Great Lakes Regional Meeting- Marriott Lincolnshire, Illinois
Professional workshops for high school chemistry teachers

The Great Lakes Regional Meeting will offer three teacher education sessions on Saturday, May 16th from 9:00 until noon. A variety of sessions will be offered: “Bringing nanotechnology to the high school classrooms,” “Demonstrations you can use to engage high school chemistry students” and “Enhancing Reading Comprehension in Science. The meeting will take place at the Marriot Lincolnshire, in Lincolnshire, IL. Contact Linda Bennett at lbennett@naperville203.org.

Project SEED
Summer Research Internship Program for Economically Disadvantaged High School Students

The ACS Project SEED summer research program opens new doors for economically disadvantaged students to experience what it’s like to be a chemist. Students entering their junior or senior year in high school are given a rare chance to work alongside scientist-mentors on research projects in industrial, academic, and federal laboratories, discovering new career paths as they approach critical turning points in their lives. With guidance from mentors, they gain confidence, a solid sense of direction, and the ability to realize their own potential. For more information visit www.acs.org/education and the project seed link under high school programs. Or contact Tracey Braun, Project SEED coordinator for the Chicago Section at tracey.braun@abbott.com.

2.) Student Research Opportunity The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP). SEAP is an eight week summer research opportunity at participating ONR laboratories for high school student who have completed at least grade 9, must be 16 years of age for most Laboratories, and a U.S. citizen. A graduating Senior is eligible to apply. The stipend for the summer program is $1,500 for new students; $1,550 for returning students. The application opens October 15, 2008 and must be completed by January 26, 2009. Go to http://www.asee.org/seap .




3.) The next ChemEd conference is in 2009. It will be held at Radford University, Radford, Virginia August 2 - 9, 2009. The chair is Dr. Christine Hermann Professor of Chemistry Department of Chemistry and Physics Radford University Information can be found at [http://www.radford.edu/chemed2009]. If you want to be added to the ChemEd 2009 email list, to be notified of important events and deadlines, send an email to chemed2009@radford.edu.



4.) NASA Internship I just received information about a great student internship program with NASA, and I thought you might want to pass it on to some of your top students. NASA is looking for students to apply now to be part of an online community of students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. If they participate in the online community during this school year, they can apply in the spring for one of a few different summer programs. Younger students might win a NASA visit, but current juniors and seniors could win PAID internships at a NASA facility! Here is the website with all the information: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/INSPIRE_Project.html


5.) Pittcon is Coming! Pittcon is coming to Chicago March 8-13 Info. on Teacher and Student Science Week Activities Pittcon is the "premier conference and exposition on laboratory sciences. Pittcon is the most comprehensive annual meeting on laboratory science in the world, offering a first class lab product exposition, a diverse, high quality technical program, unparalleled educational programs, and invaluable peer to peer networking opportunities." The 2009 venue is March 8-13 at McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. There are extensive teacher and student programs, which are FREE. Even better there are GRANTS for equipment and more. Keep in mind this is a draft and the web page is still evolving! [From Lee Marek UIC, mailto:lmarek2@uic.edu 10/9/08] For information about Pittcon it is best to start on the Pittcon home page. http://www.pittcon.org/ There is a direct link on the Pittcon home page to the Science Week Activities. http://www.pittcon.org/scienceweek/index.html On the Science Week Activities page you will find 4 links: Science Equipment Grants Attendance at one or more Teacher Workshop(s) entitles an attendee to apply for a grant to purchase science related teaching materials for their school. These grants may be as much as $500 each to any school within a 150-mile radius of Chicago. Schools must also have a student registration over 200 to be eligible (one grant allowed per school). The application form and additional information regarding these grants will be available by early in 2009 on this web page. Forms will be submitted to the Pittcon® 2009 Science Week Committee. Requests for quotations and prepaid orders to vendors will be placed by the Pittcon® 2009 Science Week Committee. Teacher Workshops On Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8, 2009 teacher workshops will be presented at the McCormick Place in Chicago lL. Workshops specific to elementary, middle and high school science will be available and registrants for the workshops will receive supplies and materials so that they can immediately implement the principles and activities demonstrated in the workshops. All Workshops have Continuing Education Credits. Registration forms are on the web page. Grants are available to schools that have teachers attending the workshops. See Science Equipment Grants. There are links and detailed descriptions for each workshop on the site. A few more will be added later- TBA. Student Workshops Student workshops with hands-on activities and experiments will be run at Science Week at Pittcon® 2009 March 9 through March 11, 2009, at the McCormick Place, Chicago IL during Pittcon 2007. The program begins promptly at 9:00 AM and ends about 12:30 PM each day. Registration forms are on the web page. There are links and detailed descriptions for each workshop on the site. Monday, March 9, 2009 – Elementary Students, Grades 4 through 6 (available) Tuesday, March 10, 2009 – Middle School Students, Grades 6 through 9 (available) Wednesday, March 11, 2009 – Middle School Students, Grades 6 through 9 (available) Space is limited in all workshops and selection of the schools will be first-come, first-served provided the following rules are followed: Students must arrive by the 9:00 AM start time; Students must be chaperoned by a minimum of one adult for each 15 students; All information requested in the application must be provided. There is no charge to the school for this program. Limited funds may be available to assist with other school costs to attend these workshops. To apply for assistance please submit your application and a letter (on school letterhead, signed by the principal) indicating your circumstances and the amount of your request. High School Lecture-Demonstration Event Thursday March 12, 2009, 9:30 am McCormick Place Convention Center Chicago, IL The High School Lecture Demonstration "The Pittcon 2009 Science Week program is happy to announce that its lecture demo for high school students will be conducted by Lee Marek who will make one of his well known "Weird Science" presentations. Lee has gained nationwide attention through numerous appearances on the David Letterman show as well as a number of other venues. The program will feature science education presented in a manner guaranteed to attract and hold the attention of the attendees."