ORU MASST Program Hosts STEM Conference on the “Space Coast” of Florida

Tulsa, OK – Oral Roberts University’s Departments of Computing & Mathematics and Biology & Chemistry recently hosted a Space Coast STEM conference in Cocoa Beach, FL

Oral Roberts University’s (ORU) Math and Science Scholarships for Teaching (MASST) Program recently hosted a conference on the “space coast” of Florida. Among the participants were 19 MASST Scholars. Sixteen of the MASST Scholars are ORU Alumni who currently are teaching math or science in either Tulsa Public Schools, Broken Arrow Public Schools or Union Public Schools. Three of the MASST Scholars plan to complete their ORU STEM degree during the upcoming school year. The ORU faculty who run the MASST Program designed and directed the conference. Those faculty members are Dr. Catherine Klehm, Grant PI from the Biology and Chemistry Department, Professor LeighAnne Locke, Grant Co-PI and Dr. Andrew Lang, Grant Co-PI, both from Computing and Mathematics Department. The conference featured two full days at Kennedy Space Center with private tours and insight focused on how to include NASA history and current space exploration endeavors to help make teaching math and science more relevant to students.

The conference included a series of presentations from Dr. Klehm. Professor. Locke, Dr. Lang and one MASST Scholar – Austin Sweet, a three year teacher who was invited to teach at Vanguard Academy, Broken Arrow Public School’s newest innovative high school starting fall 2021.

Other highlights included visiting the local Astronaut Space Museum which was a more personal view of astronaut life and the impact NASA’s presence has had on the local community and a kayaking tour through bioluminescent algae.

MASST Program information
In 2015, ORU was awarded the largest grant (to date) from the National Science Foundation, an award of $1,148,845 to span five years. The award was given to scholarship ORU students who were already pursuing a degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Mathematical field (STEM) to also include earning teaching credentials in a chosen STEM area that is reconginzed by the State of Oklahoma. In return for the scholarship, the MASST Scholars agree to teach in a public school for 2 – 4 years, depending on the scholarship award they received.

Tulsa Area Public Schools in which MASST Scholars are currently employed
Tulsa Public Schools
• Booker T. Washington High School
• Edison Preparatory Middle School
• Edison Preparatory High School
• Carver Middle School
• Thoreau Demonstration Academy
Broken Arrow Public Schools
• Oneta Ridge Middle School
• Centennial Middle School
• Vanguard Academy
• Broken Arrow Freshman Academy
Union Public Schools
• Union Seventh Grade Center
• Union Eighth Grade Center

GC1E09
7777 S. Lewis Ave.
Oral Roberts University

alang@oru.edu

Oral Roberts University's Computing & Mathematics Department Offers Degrees in Computer Science, Computer Information Technology, Data Science, Applied Science, and Mathematics

This release was published on openPR.