Georgia State Researchers Receive $3 Million Federal Grant To Prepare STEM Teachers For Atlanta Schools

ATLANTA—Georgia State University College of Education & Human Development faculty members Christine Thomas and Natalie King have received a six-year, $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to address the shortage of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers in urban schools, especially Black and Latinx men.

The grant project, entitled, “Developing STEM Professionals as Educators and Teacher Leaders,” will work with local community partners and nonprofit organizations to recruit 30 racially diverse professionals with undergraduate degrees in STEM areas. They will complete a 14-month master’s degree program that will prepare them to become certified science or mathematics teachers in high-needs middle or high schools in two partner districts: Fulton County Schools and Rockdale County Public Schools.

The research team will provide mentoring and teacher leadership development opportunities for grant participants during their master’s program and into their first years of teaching, which will help these new teachers become mentors for their students and encourage greater interest in STEM and STEM careers.

“Representation is critical for students of color to develop positive STEM identities where they can project themselves into the image of a scientist, engineer or mathematician,” King said. “This project is strategically designed for STEM professionals to bring their content knowledge and unique skillsets into middle and high school classrooms.”

Those interested in applying for the grant’s master’s program should visit https://education.gsu.edu/stem-scholarship.