EVENT: 2011 SUNY STEM Conference

Partnering for Greener + Sustainable Design-related STEM Curriculum: Improving Outcomes for Women & the Environment

PRIMARY STRAND: PARTNERING  (with sub-foci of Retaining and Releasing)

TECH-FIT Presenters:

• Karen Pearson, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor, Department of Science and Mathematics
• Elaine Maldonado, M.S.Ed.
  Associate Professor, Director of Faculty Development

As a result of a National Science Foundation ATE grant and FIT’s Sustainability Council, faculty at FIT are developing a new model for teaching science to students interested in design and fashion related disciplines.  This model focuses on the principles and materials used in eco-responsible design and product development, simultaneously addressing the educational challenge of retaining women in science and the underrepresentation of women in the STEM industries (De Welde, Laurensen and Thiry, 2007), including those in the design-related STEM.

The overarching goals of this grant-funded project are to retain and better prepare women for success in technology-driven design industries that are demanding green and sustainable products and to better prepare faculty to meet these objectives. Key efforts currently being implemented are innovative green/sustainable science modules that bridge high school and college curriculum and effective faculty development, demonstrating pedagogies designed to meet the needs of women with real-life learning experiences and everyday engineering. Especially critical to this initiative are working partnerships designed to bridge college career departments, local high schools and a dedicated advisory board representing industries such as textile development, interior design, technical design, toy design fashion design and packaging.
– Read more in the TECH-FIT SUNY STEM 2011 Overview Document (pdf)

Event Downloads and Links

• TECH-FIT SUNY_STEM_2011 Overview Document (pdf)
• SUNY STEM 2011 Conference Website (weblink)
• Conference Keynote: “Transforming Teacher Education Through Clinical Practice: A National Strategy to Prepare Effective Teachers” (video weblink)