Georgia Tech researchers Meltem Alemdar, Heidi Turcotte, and Emily Weigel have received a National Science Foundation grant to develop the Research Experiences for Pre-Service Teachers program. This initiative, supported by funding from NSF’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, aims to enhance STEM training for pre-service teachers through immersive summer research experiences. The project is one of four funded by a new partnership between NSF and the Micron Foundation, aimed at advancing STEM education training for both pre-service and in-service teachers.
Weigel, a senior academic professional in the College of Sciences, plays a critical role in the new project. As the internship director within the School of Biological Sciences, she has extensive experience placing and evaluating biology undergraduate students in internships. Weigel's work in the grant focuses on providing authentic scientific experiences to pre-service teachers, helping them to effectively teach STEM practices and enhance their teaching capabilities through hands-on learning.
The partnership program will recruit up to 30 pre-service teachers and pair them with researchers and mentors for six-week summer internships at Georgia Tech. The program aims to build a strong STEM foundation for future educators, ensuring they become effective teachers from the start.
The research team has secured support for internship placements in several Georgia Tech labs for the summer 2025 pilot including with Weigel and William Ratcliff, associate professor and co-director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences .
Read the full story in the College of Lifetime Learning newsroom.
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Summary aided by Microsoft Copilot.
