About STEM-ACT
Who we are
STEM Advancement through Collaboration in Teacher Preparation (STEM-ACT) is a partnership between Westfield State Unversity and school districts in Western Massachusetts dedicated to a world where all students experience belonging, engagement, and success in learning spaces dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Partner Institutions
Westfield State University - Explore. Experience. Excel.
Holyoke Public Schools - Juntos Podemos | Together We Can
Springfield Public Schools - A Culture of Equity and Proficiency
Community of Practice
STEM-ACT is built around a community of practice comprised of faculty in STEM education, teachers and teacher leaders in regional districts, pre-service teacher candidates, and early career teachers who graduated from WSU.
Our aim is to
improve secondary STEM teacher preparation at WSU and STEM teaching and learning at the partner schools;
increase the interest and recruitment of future STEM teachers from area high-need districts through career exposure and social justice opportunities in STEM teaching; and
increase the number and diversity of qualified STEM teachers who serve and are retained in high-need districts.
2024 News: STEM-ACT Scholarship Program
Funded through a Noyce grant from the National Science Foundation (Award #: 2344950), STEM-ACT is excited that we are now able to offer significant scholarship support for junior and senior STEM majors preparing to teach STEM in high need school districts. NSF Noyce programs address the need to prepare and retain highly effective mathematics and science teachers and teacher leaders in high-need school districts. See a WSU news item with the grant annoucement.
People
Faculty
Megan Kennedy (Education): mkennedy@westfield.ma.edu
Arne Christensen (Biology): achristensen@westfield.ma.edu
Volker Ecke (Math): vecke@westfield.ma.edu
Shannon Gleason (Education): sgleason@westfield.ma.edu
Christine von Renesse (Math): cvonrenesse@westfield.ma.edu
STEM-ACT Scholars
Aidan Robert (2024, Biology)
Jessica Peitzsch (2024, Biology)
John Pierce (2024, Mathematics)
Kyle Morandi (2024, Mathematics)
Maddie Boyer (2024, Mathematics)
Noah de Ruiter (2024, Mathematics)
Olivia Stafford (2024, Mathematics)
Partner Teachers
Our partner teachers are not currently listed here. Please contact us if you want to get in touch with them.
Resources and Publications
Will be updated as the project progresses.