9/30/97
ATHENS, Ohio -- A new $370,000 National Science Foundation grant will help scientists at Ohio University uncover the secrets of the universe while demystifying the scientific process for teachers and students in Southeastern Ohio schools.
Science Teachers Active in Real Science (STARS) is a summer internship program for teachers who teach science to students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The program is part of a project led by Thomas Statler, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Ohio University, and supported through the NSF Faculty Early C areer Development (CAREER) Program.
Working in university laboratories and school classrooms, Statler and other faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy will share their knowledge with teachers interested in science.
Each summer for the next four years, one teacher from Ohio will study everything from galaxies to quasars to particle accelerators to thin magnetic films. Another part of the program will take university scientists into school classrooms to talk about their w ork in physics and astronomy.
"One of the most difficult things a science teacher must do is to teach kids how to take what seems a huge unsolvable scientific problem and break it into smaller pieces so that it can be understood," Statler said. "The idea behind STARS is to bring science teachers to Ohio University and allow them to immerse themselves in scientific research so they can see for themselves how big problems are broken down and addressed. Then, we can help them develop ways to br ing this experience back to the classroom."
To be considered for the program, teachers will complete an application describing their educational background, teaching experience and specific interest in science. Although any Ohio teacher whose teaching duties include science may apply, preference will be given to teachers in Southeastern Ohio.
Teacher interns will receive a stipend of $3,780 and housing, and may earn continuing education credit. Several faculty in the Department o f Physics and Astronomy will participate in the program.
"We continue to hear that we need to have a population that is more science-literate," Statler said. "We believe the opportunity to see first-hand how scientific research is carried out will help teachers meet that goal."
The combined approach to research and education will provide participating faculty with a unique opportunity to take their expertise into the community, said Ohio University President Robert Glidden.
"This grant is an opportunity for Ohio University to assist schools in our region in a very important and fundamental way," Glidden said. "There is absolutely no substitute for the joy of discovery -- it is in essence what scholarship is all about -- and Professor Statler's project will give many area teachers and their students the opportunity to experience the excitement of scientific discovery. This project reinforces Ohio University's commitment to the educational advancement of all Ohio s tudents."
Teacher interns also may work with Statler's research group, which is exploring the origins of elliptical galaxies, one of three types of galaxies in the universe. His research efforts will be bolstered by this new NSF grant, which will provide for a postdoctoral researcher and new equipment to aid Statler in his studies.
"Many scientists believe there are probably several mechanisms involved in the formation of elliptical galaxies, but figuring out which galaxies were formed by which mechanism is difficult," Statler said. "We'll be working on large-scale simulations that we hope will tell us what to look for in these galaxies to trace back their origins."
Statler, 35, is the second Ohio University faculty member to receive a CAREER award. He came to Ohio University in 1995 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received a doctoral degree from Princeton in 1986 and a bachelor's degree from the University of California-Berkeley in 1982.
Statler also noted the timeliness of NSF's CAREER program, now in its second year. "With more and more people saying that they feel alienated by science," he said, "it's encouraging that NSF is acting to strengthen the relationship between scientists and the public. CAREER is one of the few programs that actively supports unified efforts in research and education."
Teachers interested in applying to the STARS program may write to Thomas Statler, Department of Physics and Astron omy, 251B Clippinger Research Laboratories, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701-2979; or send e-mail to stars@coma.phy.ohiou.edu
Information also is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.phy.ohiou.edu/stars.html