Albany Educator Works on STEM Integration at Siemens Foundation and Discovery Education

Sylvia Harvey was one of 50 educators from across the country selected to spend a week in Washington, D.C., at the Siemens STEM Institute learning how to integrate innovative STEM techniques into her classroom.

Courtesy: stemscape.org

(ALBANY, OR) - This fall, Sylvia Harvey, a high school chemistry teacher from West Albany High School in Albany, Ore., will return to her classroom with a deeper understanding of how to integrate real world science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts into classroom instruction. This understanding comes as a result of her participation this summer in a highly-exclusive professional development opportunity offered by the Siemens Foundation, Discovery Education and the College Board.

Harvey was one of only 50 educators from across the country selected to take part in the Siemens STEM Institute, a fellowship designed to help teachers better use STEM principles in their classrooms and in turn get their students excited about STEM education and careers. The Siemens STEM Institute is part of the Siemens STEM Academy, a premier online professional development community for STEM educators empowering and celebrating excellence in STEM education.

Harvey and her colleagues spent the week of July 29-August 3 just outside of Washington, D.C., at the world headquarters of Discovery Communications – the parent company of the Discovery Channel, Science and Animal Planet – working with leading scientists, thought-leaders, personalities and innovators whose work across STEM disciplines shape and define the science world today.

Guest speakers, including Reed Timmer, Discovery Education's chief meteorologist, and Dr. Roosevelt Johnson, deputy associate administrator for education at NASA, along with field trips to leading institutions of STEM innovation, such as the White House and the National Museum of Natural History, introduced the fellows to real-world STEM applications and provided opportunities for networking and collaboration with peers from across the nation.

The goal of the Siemens STEM Institute is to create a group of STEM ambassadors who can take what they learned this summer back into their classrooms and become key influencers in their schools and communities. The Siemens STEM Institute specifically sought applicants who want to become STEM leaders and help change the way STEM subjects are taught in American classrooms.

The program was offered at no cost to participating teachers.

Please visit http://www.siemensstemacademy.com for a full list of STEM Institute Fellows and additional background.

About the Siemens STEM Academy

The Siemens STEM Academy (www.siemensstemacademy.com) is a collaborative effort of the Siemens Foundation, Discovery Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the College Board to empower and celebrate excellence in science, technology, engineering and math education.  As the premier online professional development community for STEM educators, over 125,000 teachers from across the United States exchange and download resources, participate in and view webinars, obtain up-to-date STEM news and network with their peers.  Additionally, each year the STEM Academy selects top educators from around the country to participate in the Siemens Teachers as Researchers (STARs) programs, two-week professional development experiences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. In addition, 50 educators are chosen to participate in the Siemens STEM Institute, a one-week professional development initiative at Discovery Communications headquarters in Washington, D.C.  For more information, visit www.siemensstemacademy.com.

About the Siemens Foundation

The Siemens Foundation provides more than $7 million annually in support of educational initiatives in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the United States. Its signature programs include the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement, and The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, which encourages K-12 students to develop innovative green solutions for environmental issues. In February 2010 the Siemens Foundation launched its newest initiative, The Siemens STEM Academy, a national STEM education program for teachers designed to support educators in their efforts to foster student achievement in these fields. By supporting outstanding students today, and recognizing the teachers and schools that inspire their excellence, the Foundation helps nurture tomorrow's scientists and engineers. The Foundation's mission is based on the culture of innovation, research and educational support that is the hallmark of Siemens' U.S. companies and its parent company, Siemens AG. For further information, visit www.siemens-foundation.org.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education transforms classrooms, empowers teachers and captivates students by providing high quality, dynamic, digital content for grades K-12 and community colleges. Powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world, Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital media, professional development, assessment tools and a passionate educator network to support districts in accelerating student achievement. Discovery Education services like Discovery Education streaming, Discovery Education Techbook and Discovery Education Higher Ed, are in more than half of all US schools and 35 countries around the world.  Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.