"I really wanted to attend an institution that was somewhat of a community -- something small -- and to connect with professors and with the administration and have them know my name. And, because of MCLA's internship program, I was able to get my foot in the door at a very prominent company which jump-started my career."
Christina Barrett '03 Director of Marketing & Communications, Berkshire Chamber of Commerce
News & Press Releases
July 25, 2008
NORTH ADAMS, MA – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) physics professor Adrienne Wootters recently was elected as a SENCER (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities) Leadership Fellow by the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement (NCECE).
SENCER is the National Science Foundation-supported signature program of the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement, and an initiative that engages students in science and math by focusing coursework on real world problems.
Wootters is one of 76 educators elected to the inaugural class of fellows by the members of the Center’s national fellowship board. Fellows were selected from a group of nominees drawn from the more than 1,300 faculty members and academic leaders who are part of the SENCER community.
“The appointment of Professor Wootters as a SENCER Leadership Fellow is a tribute to her outstanding leadership and contributions to STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] education not only at MCLA, but also at a national level,” said Monica Joslin, MCLA dean of academic affairs. “As the lead partner for the Berkshire STEM Pipeline Initiative, MCLA has done much to attract more students into the STEM field and support teacher education. We are pleased to see Professor Wootters recognized for her work.”
Wootters said she was thrilled and honored to be given the opportunity to work with her colleagues on the important issues of pre-service teacher preparation in the sciences.
“This work requires coordination with college science professors, education specialists and those who work in the schools at all levels. I am grateful to SENCER for the opportunity to continue and expand work in this direction,” Wootters said.
As a leadership fellow, Wootters will present her research findings at a variety of SENCER regional and national meetings and will work with collaborators from around the country to focus on general education and K-12 teacher preparation.
“This work is influencing how colleagues around the nation think about planning courses and programs that will genuinely help new teachers meet the high standards being set for science and education,” according to David Ferguson, spokesman for the National Fellowship Board.
Ferguson added that Wootters has emerged as a leader in the SENCER national community through her work to assess the alignment and identify the “profound” misalignment of college level requirements versus what students who intend to become teachers will really need to do their work well.
“I am extremely proud of Professor Wootters’ outstanding achievement which recognizes her strong leadership qualities,” said State Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams.
The National Fellowship Board is composed of educators with expertise in innovative education programs concerning the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) disciplines. Current members include: David Ferguson, chair of the board, distinguished service professor at Stony Brook University; Robert Full, chancellor’s professor of integrative biology at the University of California-Berkeley; Jay Labov, senior advisor for education and communication at the National Research Council; Cathy Middlecamp, distinguished faculty associate (chemistry) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Barbara Tewksbury, the William R. Kenan professor of geosciences at Hamilton College.
