Lewis & Clark receives $1 million for science education

May 24, 2012

Improving the quality of science education is a top national priority, as seen in President Obama’s commitment to prepare 100,000 new science, technology, engineering, and math teachers in the next decade.

Now Lewis & Clark will be an integral part of this challenge, with the receipt of a $1 million grant to improve the quality of K-12 science education in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

The grant is awarded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and will allow Lewis & Clark to develop a new core undergraduate curriculum in the mathematical and natural sciences.

“Our goal is to give students the tools to become effective K-12 educators with a solid foundation in the current practice of science,” said Tuajuanda Jordan, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The curriculum will feature connections between the traditional disciplines, early access to scientific research, and an introduction to science pedagogy.”

The new curriculum will be created in partnership between the College of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School of Education and Counseling.

Lewis & Clark is the only baccalaureate college in the Pacific Northwest to receive a grant in this competition. This is the second consecutive four-year award from HHMI to Lewis & Clark, but the first with a focus on K-12 science education.