NSF-Noyce Western NY Partnership for New Science and Math Scholars

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NSF-Noyce Western NY Partnership for New Science
and Math Scholars By Daniel MacIsaac, Kathleen
Falconer and Nevin Henderson SUNY- Buffalo State
College, NY, U.S.A. 14217 ltmacisadl_at_buffalostate.
edugt
NSF grant -0434103 This material is based upon
work supported by the National Science Foundation
under Grant No. 0434103. Any opinions, findings,
and conclusions or recommendations expressed in
this material are those of the author(s) and do
not necessarily reflect the views of the National
Science Foundation.

• Introduction to Buffalo State College
• State University of New York College at Buffalo
• Carnegie Masters I
• 12,000 students
• 16 minority
• 55 women
• - Largest SUNY comprehensive college and only
  SUNY urban college
• Originally Buffalo Normal School in 1871
• NCATE accredited
• 28 of undergrads
• 46 / 63 graduate programs are in education
• only NY NYSED Transitional B Certificate in
  Physics program (NSF DUE0302097)
• Introduction to BSC Noyce Project
• Investigators
• D. MacIsaac
• J. Zawicki
• S. McMillen

• Project Goals and Progress
• Project Goals
• - at least 44 new highly qualified K-12 STEM
  teachers recruited and prepared
• - particular efforts to recruit and support women
  and underrepresented populations in STEM teaching
• Progress To Date (Y3 of 5)
• -20 STEM teaching candidates supported
• 10 women
• 6 minority
• 2 more applicants currently in process for summer
  07
• - 8 working (6 confirmed HN schools 1 unknown
  one not HN)
• Programs at Buffalo State with funded Noyce
  candidates (n)
• -B.S.Ed. Mathematics (12)
• -M.S.Ed. Physics with NYSED Transitional B
  Certification (6)
• -M.S.Ed. (Childhood Ed 1-6) Including Initial
  Teacher Certification (MIITC) (1)
• -Biology Education (7-12) Post-baccalaureate
  teacher certification (1)

Ms. Tamara Mugel recently enrolled in the M.S.Ed.
(Physics with NYSED Transitional B Certification)
program at Buffalo State with Noyce financial
support. Tammy holds a B.S.Eng. from Cornell in
Agricultural Engineering and an M.S. Eng in
Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve
University, and worked as a design engineer and
in engineering management for 11 years. She has
worked with Bornhava Early Childhood school since
2005, and with the Girl Scouts, Northeast YMCA
and the United Methodist Church. She writes "I
would now like to change careers by using my
science background and project management
experience to pursue teaching. What I will bring
to teaching is maturity, caring, life experience,
work experience and creativity."
Dr. Pratibha Chopra-Sukumaran is a Ph.D. Chemist
(UB, 1990) currently finishing up her M.S.Ed.
(Physics with NYSED Transitional B Certification)
program at Buffalo State with Noyce financial
support. She has taught undergraduate chemistry
at Buffalo State for several years and now tutors
science and mathematics to school children in the
resource room at Williamsville South HS.
Pratibha has taught adults and elementary
students as well. She says that her students
"will improve their own quality of life, and
...also improve the quality of their children's
lives, for they will be the leaders in their
community and the community at large."
Summer Physics Class at Buffalo State College
Ms. Dana Murray recently accepted a position with
Buffalo Public Schools as a HS Math Teacher. She
graduated from the B.S. in Mathematics Education
program at Buffalo State leading to NYSED 7-12
certification in Mathematics in May 2007,
supported with a Noyce fellowship. She has been a
foster sister to many children for Child and
Family Services, and has been involved in the CFS
Big Sister Program. Dana also coaches and
teaches dance, and manages stage for the African
American Cultural Center here in Buffalo. Dana
says that "There is no other place I would rather
teach than in an urban school."
Mr. Mike Caban holds a BS in physics from
Houghton College and a BS in civil engineering
from SUNY at Buffalo. After two years of
engineering he enrolled in the M.S.Ed. (Physics
with NYSED Transitional B Certification) program
at Buffalo State with Noyce financial support.
He now is teaching HS physics in Springfield PA
while completing the program. Mike writes that
he enjoys working with young adults, especially
in mentoring and teaching environments.
Mr. Nevin Henderson holds a B.S. in Geology and
two years of graduate study from SUNY- Oneonta,
and acted as a contract instructor of geology
labs at both Oneonta and nearby Hartwick College.
Nevin was asked to step in as an uncertified
Earth Science and Physics teacher upon the
midyear departure of his predecessor at Charlotte
Valley Central High School in rural Davenport,
NY. His superintendent, Mr. Mark Dupra (Buffalo
State class of 1975) recommended him for
admission to the M.S.Ed. (Physics with NYSED
Transitional B Certification) program at Buffalo
State with Noyce financial support, and he is now
partway through that program and eligible for
Transitional B Certification. Nevin writes "I
enjoy teaching and am highly needed at the rural
school in Central NY in which I am currently
employed. Entering my second year of teaching I
have come to realize that this is not only a
teaching job but has become my passion."