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The ASRT Program

made possible by funding from
Regeneron and ZEISS

Get in touch for more info

Advancing STEM Research Teaching (ASRT) Program

  • is a multiple-day, in-person, professional development workshop focused on curriculum, activities, and guides to support high school teachers involved in providing science/STEM research opportunities for their students.
     

  • is free, thanks to funding from Regeneron and Carl Zeiss Microscopy.
     

  • takes place at a location that you choose, which is typically in/near your school/office or where your science fair is hosted.
     

  • is typically 4 - 4.5 days of in-person professional development during the summer months, with follow-up support, as needed, via Zoom during the school year. 
    If it is held during the school year then it is typically a 3 or 4 day in-person workshop followed up by online sessions during the remainder of the school year and summer.

     

  • is customized to help teachers reach their goals and overcome obstacles specific to their school/region. This includes small or medium or large schools and rural, suburban, and urban areas.
     

  • has helped teachers/Fair Directors from a wide variety of states including; Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
     

  • provides a curriculum filled with hundreds of activities and guides that can be customized by teachers who provide research opportunities within a traditional STEM classroom setting, or those with a small, growing research program/club, or even those with more established Science Research Programs/Clubs. These activities include not just what to do, but how and why.
    This includes activities, guides, templates, and rubrics that will help with:

    • guiding students how to decide on a research area that fits within their available time, resources, and area of interest.

    • customizing a calendar to help keep all students on task and moving forward with their STEM research projects.

    • building time management skills with students.

    • increasing students basic (foundational) and advanced knowledge, understanding and critical thinking especially focused on their chosen area of research.

    • strengthening students networking and communication skills.

    • guiding students how to prepare to reach out to local, regional, or national STEM professionals in their chosen area of research, to ask them to help as a “mentor”.

    • instructing students on how to design and write a research proposal/plan in accordance with science fair guidelines.

    • building students design and presentation skills with research papers, PowerPoints/Google Slides, and posters.

    • reviewing, critiquing, grading student presentations in all formats.

    • providing information and insight regarding all stages of the student research process and the opportunities and regulations for students to present in public, including in science fairs and other competitive/non-competitive venues.
       

  • provides the hundreds of activities, tips, guides, and rubrics on a USB “thumb” drive for all participants. These are also accessible via a Google Drive folder. All activities are free to copy, edit, customize to suit the individual needs and goals of the teachers participating in the ASRT workshop.
     

  • offers free, follow-up support, throughout the following year, via phone call, email, or online meetings.

The ASRT Application:

  • launches in October and closes in mid/late November

 

  • is open to all high school teachers who support students involved in science/STEM research projects from small, medium or large schools and from rural, suburban or urban areas.

    • Teachers can apply individually or as a group​
       

  • is open to all Science Fair Directors, from small, medium or large, science fairs, that would like to bring together a group of high school, and potentially middle school, teachers for a week of free, customizable, professional development
     

  • will be available by link on this website and in an email sent to all ISEF-affiliated fair directors so that they can apply directly or pass it all of the high school teachers in their region

The ASRT Selection Process:

Applicants will be evaluated by a committee from Regeneron and/or ZEISS, on the basis of a number of different criteria including, but not limited to:

  • an interest in increasing students' understanding & critical thinking, technology-based skills, networking/communication skills and presentation skills.
     

  • an interest in increasing the number of high school students who carry out projects and/or the quality/level of those projects.
     

  • an interest in increasing the types/categories of the projects that their students are able to be involved in.
     

  • an interest in increasing participation in regional, state, national and international science fairs with students of all background/cultures/academic levels
     

  • the level of support from the school community and their administration for creating science research/STEM opportunities for high school students.
     

The high school teacher(s) or science fair director(s) who are selected as "Finalists" will receive multiple days of in-person consulting sessions (typically 4.5 days), at or near their school(s) as well as the opportunity to have follow-up sessions online (Zoom/Google Meet) throughout the year.


Teachers and/or Science Fair Directors who have applied will receive an email regarding whether or not they were selected by early/mid December.

The application will remain open until November 6, 2024.

** Link to apply for High School Teachers: https://forms.gle/vh1Sp38xiTbtJ4Cd9

** Link to apply for Science Fair Directors: https://forms.gle/ye3cPNNC9HKkTvNT6

The ASRT Program is made possible by funding from

Zeiss Logo
Regeneron logo

The ASRT Application:

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