Fifty STEM Teachers Selected to Participate in Inaugural Middle School Research Teachers Conference

WASHINGTON, DC – Middle school teachers from across the country will be gathering in Washington, DC, this weekend for the Society for Science & the Public’s first Middle School Research Teachers Conference, supported by the Department of Defense STEM (DoD STEM). The conference includes teachers from 25 states, plus Puerto Rico, and 50 different schools.

Like the Society’s High School Research Teachers Conference, teachers will lead their own breakout sessions. This format fosters a more natural discussion and encourages the participants to interact and share with each other the techniques that proved beneficial in their own classrooms and communities.

Teachers also will have an opportunity to learn about the Society’s world-class science competitions, the Broadcom MASTERS, the International Science and Engineering Fair and the Regeneron Science Talent Search. In addition, there will be a presentation on STEM activities across the Military branches to provide an awareness about DoD STEM educational opportunities for K-12.

“Middle school is such an important moment in education,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. “The students are at a pivotal time where authentic and interesting STEM experiences can motivate and encourage them to continue to pursue science or engineering. We hope that teachers will leave our conference inspired and excited to implement new and innovative ideas in their own classrooms.”

The teachers were selected via lottery from a pool of 632 applicants to attend the all-expenses-paid weekend conference. Of the teachers selected to attend the conference, one third are veterans with significant experience teaching research, one third are teachers with some experience teaching research and one third have no experience but are interested in teaching science research. The list of teachers who will be attending the 2019 Middle School Research Teachers Conference is available at https://www.societyforscience.org/middle-school-research-teachers-conference.

The Middle School Research Teachers Conference is made possible through the generous support of DoD STEM. Additional support has been provided by Broadcom Foundation and Broadcom MASTERS.

About Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public is dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921, the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning magazine, Science News and Science News for Students, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).