Institute for STEM Education

Our institute grew out of a variety for inputs: educational outreach, curricular and educational research, teacher professional development, pre-service training and the many synergies among these.

K-12 STEM educational outreach is now extending to include Clarkson’s Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, and the planning and development of the Clarkson University Hudson River Estuarium on Pier 26 in Manhattan.

This is a critical time for STEM Education in our nation. The U.S. Department of Education has identified the need to step up STEM education across the country so students develop scientific knowledge as well as analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. The Institute for STEM Education has an exciting future in all aspects of this, including our award-winning Master of Arts in Teaching program based at CRC, formal and informal educational outreach, educational and pedagogical research, the scholarship of teaching and learning, recruitment, retention and persistence of STEM students, and collaboration with educational and basic research programs here and elsewhere.

About Our Department

Informal education environments are also recognized as one of the most important vehicles for introducing STEM to underrepresented/underserved students and leading them to pursue STEM careers. We also have undergraduate and graduate programs designed to instill STEM education within the new generation of teachers - better preparing them for cutting edge curricula.

Engaging an audience from kindergarten through the most advanced levels of graduate research, we make possible an unprecedented experiential learning environment. Whether in Potsdam, Schenectady or at Pier 26 you are sure to receive an education that prepares you for the future of science, technology, engineering and math.

Teaching Boot Camps

At Clarkson, we take teacher training very seriously, which is why we spearheaded several unique “boot camps” geared towards three different paths: high school students interested in pursuing a teaching degree; masters students entering the teaching industry for the first time; and doctoral students who will work as teaching assistants while completing their PhD.

Careers in Teaching Summer Camp

This two-day camp, which is held at Clarkson’s Capital Region Campus in Schenectady, NY, is for high school students interested in a career in teaching. Workshops and presentations provide students with opportunities to learn about the teaching profession while interacting with Clarkson graduate students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching program and Clarkson’s Department of Education faculty. The 2017 summer camp was generously supported by the Schenectady Foundation and the Little Family Foundation. To learn more, contact Nicki Foley.

Summer Institute for Early Career Teachers

Based upon Clarkson’s successful Teacher Boot Camp, the Summer Institute for Early Career Teachers prepares the University’s new graduate teaching assistants (TAs) through a required five-week “boot camp,” where TAs take courses on pedagogy with an emphasis on STEM fields. Participants divide the day by taking classes in the morning and practice teaching in the afternoons.

Hudson River Estuarium

Coastlines shape our world and these complex ecosystems are often interwoven with centers of trade and commerce, impacting millions of people and thousands of businesses daily. Clarkson University’s innovative Hudson River Estuarium at Pier 26 in Manhattan merges graduate-level estuary research and K-12 STEM programs with highly visual public programs and exhibitions to bring awareness to this environmental epicenter. Through immersive and highly interactive digital and live aquatic exhibits, we’ll explore estuary ecosystems, promoting respect and understanding as well as activism for conservation. To learn more, please contact Peter Turner.