ARLINGTON, Va.—March 28, 2022—The Northrop Grumman Foundation and the National Science Teaching Association announced the selection of 22 middle school science, technology, and engineering teachers as 2022 Teacher Fellows in the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy. Selected from school districts in communities where Northrop Grumman operates across the country, the Teacher Fellows will participate in a variety of science, technology, and engineering-related activities and professional learning opportunities.

“Teachers inspire students every day as they help to create a solid foundation for them in STEM and we are thrilled to welcome this year’s cohort of teachers to the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy,” said Stephanie Fitzsimmons, manager, corporate citizenship, strategy and communities, Northrop Grumman. “Through this hands-on program, we demonstrate how teaching critical workforce skills translate to building a diverse pipeline of STEM students globally.”

“Each of the Teacher Fellows are determined individuals who are committed to developing their skills as teachers and are dedicated to making science, technology, and engineering more relevant for their students,” said Erika Shugart, PhD, executive director, NSTA. “Through participation in the Academy, these educators will have a unique opportunity to translate hands-on experience in a high-tech environment to an effective classroom program that will help spark an interest in innovation and build their students’ knowledge of STEM.”

The Teacher Fellows were selected on the basis of several criteria, including displaying a strong desire to advance STEM education and apply real-world applications in the classroom. During their fellowship, recipients will:

• Attend the NSTA National Conference on Science Education in Chicago, Illinois and pre-conference workshops, July 18-24;
• Participate in an immersive, 25-30-hour externship at a local Northrop Grumman facility, where they will be partnered with an engineer/technologist to observe and experience critical workforce skills in action (July 11-15 and/or 25-29, 2022);
• Engage in online professional learning via a comprehensive NSTA membership package which will include a variety of web-based professional learning activities, including a specially designated online learning community;
• Develop lesson(s)/units that integrate an authentic and real-world application and new pedagogy strategies based on their program experiences; and
• Access tools/resources to develop strategies to share their learning with colleagues to build capacity within their schools and districts.

Launched in 2015, the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy was established to help enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence in science, engineering and technology, while increasing teacher understanding about the skills needed for a scientifically literate workforce.

For a list of the 2022 Teacher Fellows or to learn more about the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy, visit https://www.nsta.org/northrop-grumman-foundation-teachers-academy-2022. 

About the Northrop Grumman Foundation
Northrop Grumman and the Northrop Grumman Foundation are dedicated to expanding and enhancing sustainable science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education opportunities for students globally. With an emphasis on middle school and university level students, our engineering and technology-based partnerships are designed to excite, engage and educate students as they defend cyber networks, engineer autonomous vehicles, explore space and more. In addition, we provide workforce-relevant professional development to middle school educators to advance their competence in teaching STEM subjects, in turn, inspiring students to explore STEM careers and increasing their STEM skills proficiency.

About NSTA
The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a vibrant community of 40,000 science educators and professionals committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researchers, and learn from the best in the field.

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Contacts:
Kate Falk, NSTA
(703) 312-9211
kfalk@nsta.org

Vic Beck, Northrop Grumman
703-280-4456
Vic.Beck@ngc.com