By Barry Ray
Feb. 21, 2007
NEW MULTIDISCIPLINARY CENTER AT FSU TO FOCUS
ON IMPROVED TEACHING OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday announced that Florida State University has been chosen as the site of the new Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
 
The center, which will receive $2 million in state funds this year with another $3 million recommended by the governor for next year, will use an interdisciplinary, evidence-based approach to improve mathematics and science teaching and learning in Florida's schools.

"The time is right for increasing our expectations for students in both math and science," Crist said. "Florida is no longer competing only with other states, but in a global arena. We must equip students with knowledge and skills so they can successfully compete with their peers - both nationally and internationally. We are pleased that Florida State University will lead us in this important endeavor."

"FSU is honored to be selected for Florida's new math and science education research center," said President T.K. Wetherell. "Preparing the future work force has been a strong and expanding focus of the university's academic and research programs and its K-12 outreach initiatives. This new research center will bring together renowned scientists, researchers, educators and others with a vested interest in improving math and science education for K-12 students. Their ultimate goal will be to improve teaching and learning in science, mathematics and technology and prepare students for higher education and rewarding careers in the 21st century."

The Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics will be led by Nobel laureate Sir Harold Kroto, FSU's Francis Eppes Professor of Chemistry.

The creation of the new center at FSU "is a farsighted initiative for the state of Florida, especially at this time when science and technology are so important to socio-economic and sustainability issues," Kroto said. "At a time when not enough young people are opting for mathematics and the sciences, new approaches to education are vital. The Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics will bring together a cohort of young and imaginative people committed to new approaches in education, especially as communication technologies such as the Internet offer totally new ways of making educational material available."

The new center will be housed within FSU's Learning Systems Institute (www.lsi.fsu.edu), which already has an international reputation for bridging the gap between research and practice in reading, education and training. Joseph Travis, the dean of FSU's College of Arts and Sciences, will be the center's principal investigator, with co-principal investigators Lawrence G. Abele, the university's provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs; Marcy Driscoll, dean of the FSU College of Education; and Laura Hassler Lang, director of the Learning Systems Institute.

"Through the work of this center, we hope to increase our understanding of how math and science instruction can be improved and how teachers can be best prepared to help students learn," Lang said. "We will conduct scientifically rigorous studies on questions of critical importance to educators, parents, and leaders in government and industry. What types of curricula and instruction work best? What impact do they have on student learning? What kinds of professional development do teachers need? How must teachers be supported in their use of new ideas and curricula to improve student math and science learning? Do the answers differ based on students' grade level, ethnicity or economic status?"

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