Maine Physical Sciences Partnership receives $2M to continue advancing STEM education

The Maine Physical Sciences Partnership (MainePSP) has been awarded a supplement of more than $2 million from the National Science Foundation to continue its work advancing science education in Maine.

The award builds on the $12.3 million granted in 2010 to establish an infrastructure to strengthen rural science education across the state. The funds will be used to improve science and mathematics teacher recruitment, preparation and retention in Maine.

MainePSP is a collaboration among the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) at the University of Maine, almost 30 school districts in the state, as well as nonprofit partners including the Schoodic Institute and Maine Department of Education.

Over the past five years, MainePSP has established an innovative partnership between university faculty and preK–12 science teachers, creating a diverse learning community of educators discussing and demonstrating best practices in science education from preschool to graduate school.

Because of the proven effect of the partnership on teaching and learning in science, MainePSP will focus on strengthening recruitment, preparation and retention of preservice science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers using the MainePSP community and infrastructure.

The project’s major activities will involve experienced classroom teachers in preservice teacher preparation, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Contact: Erika Allison, project director at the RiSE Center, erika.allison@maine.edu, 581.4674