More than 20 years ago, Sarah C.R. Elgin, PhD, the Viktor Hamburger Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, founded Science Outreach, which connects the university’s resources to K-12 teachers and students to improve learning in math and science through hands-on, investigative teaching methods.
Today, the success of Science Outreach, a collaboration between Washington University faculty, students and staff and St. Louis area educators, is being recognized as WUSTL launches the interdisciplinary Institute for School Partnership, the university’s signature effort to strategically improve teaching and learning within the K-12 education community.
During a reception at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, in Holmes Lounge, Eads Hall, Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton and Provost Edward S. Macias will recognize Elgin’s work with Science Outreach, and its continuing success under the direction of Victoria L. May, and celebrate the opening of the institute.
Elgin began a pilot program with her children’s University City school district in the late 1980s that brought Washington University science faculty into those schools to provide students with interactive environmental science and genetics projects.
A professor of biology and of education in Arts & Sciences and of biochemistry and molecular biophysics and of genetics in the School of Medicine, Elgin expanded that program and in 1990 founded Science Outreach, which has become one of the nation’s largest efforts to improve the quality of science and math education in the public schools.
May, the current Science Outreach director and assistant dean in the College of Arts & Sciences, has been named director of the new institute.
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