PhysTec

The Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC), in collaboration with STEP UP, has created a joint effort funded by the Moore Foundation to benefit pre- and in-service teachers, the universities that prepare them, and the students they teach.

While PhysTEC supports programs that prepare high quality physics teachers, STEP UP’s community of physics teachers, researchers, and professional societies designs high school physics lessons to empower teachers, create cultural change, and inspire young women to pursue physics in college.

This collaboration will provide your pre-service teachers with evidence-based lessons they can use when they enter the classroom, and serve as a way for you to retain an alumni network that will support both alumni engagement and your future teacher recruitment efforts.

The STEP UP team has secured funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, with the hopes of recruiting 20% of physics teachers in three specific areas–the school districts of New York, NY; Los Angeles, CA; and Chicago, IL–to implement the STEP UP curriculum and establish local physics teachers communities.

The three regions are selected purposefully since there is a large concentration of physics teachers in these areas who have not yet become involved in STEP UP, and their ability to support large numbers of young women studying physics.

Each region has a regional coordinator who, in collaboration with other program management team members, support the propagation and implementation efforts and play an important role in growing the teacher networks and uptake of STEP UP in each region.

If you have questions about the STEP UP Ambassador and Advocate program in these three regions, contact them.