STONY BROOK, N.Y., February 16, 2006 — Three Stony Brook students in the process of obtaining their masters degrees in teaching have recently been awarded National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholarships. Jessica DeSerio of West Islip, Luisa McHugh of Setauket, and Allan Martin, Jr. of Brooklyn, have each received $10,000. The fellowships are awarded each semester to outstanding students who will teach science or mathematics in high needs school districts. The Noyce Scholarship provides support for the last year of training.
The scholarship program is directed by LIGASE (Long Island Group Advancing Science Education), located in the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Stony Brook. LIGASE Director Dr. David Bynum states, "As a first rate University in mathematics and the sciences, we have graduated over one hundred math and science teachers in the last five years. Many are now teaching on Long Island, in New York City and beyond. NSF Noyce fellowships encourage many of these students to bring their outstanding credentials into schools where they are most needed. We are delighted to focus the skills and resources of LIGASE on this important challenge." The mission of LIGASE is to create first rate opportunities in science and mathematics for students, prospective teachers and teachers.
The Robert Noyce Scholarship program seeks to encourage talented science, mathematics, technology, and engineering majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The program provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends, and programs for students who commit to teaching in high needs K-12 schools.
