“This conference was some of the best professional development I have experienced in years! Thank you.”
- 2011 conference participant


UTeach Institute conference plenary Q&A
Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and founder of UTeach, during the Q&A portion of Dr. Carl Wieman’s plenary presentation


UTeach Institute conference keynote
Attendees enjoy Dr. Rosen’s keynote address


UTeach Institute conference poster session
Poster presenter, Dr. Lisa Duffin of Western Kentucky University, explains her research findings


UTeach students
More than 60 students enrolled in UTeach programs nationwide attended the 2011 conference

2011 UTeach Institute-NMSI Conference

A record number of participants from 47 universities across 20 states attended the 2011 UTeach Institute-NMSI Conference.

The fifth annual UTeach Institute-NMSI Conference, hosted May 24-26, 2011 at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), attracted more than 400 participants. The conference gave participants the opportunity to come together to network, learn about the design and implementation of the UTeach program model, and share ideas related to improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher preparation.

Faculty, staff, and administrators from the 21 universities implementing UTeach as of Summer 2011 represented more than half the conference participants. An additional 25 universities interested in UTeach were represented. They were joined by UT Austin faculty, staff, and administrators; students currently enrolled in UTeach programs across the country; and funders, conference sponsors, and other guests.

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Pre-conference course retreats brought together more than 100 faculty and instructors from UTeach programs across the country to share experiences, insights, ideas, adaptations, and innovations with one another. Annual course retreats are one of a number of activities that foster a professional learning community actively engaged in the continual improvement of UTeach courses and the UTeach program model.

UTeach Institute staff and individuals involved in UTeach programs nationwide offered 88 sessions, including a variety of interactive presentations, hands-on workshops, special interest group meetings, and roundtable and panel discussions. Topics ranged from overviews of UTeach and UTeach replication to student recruitment, program sustainability, strengthening STEM content knowledge of teacher candidates, and the UTeach instructional program and courses. In addition, students and faculty from UTeach programs presented 26 posters during a competitive poster session.

Dr. Carl Wieman, Nobel Prize winning physicist and Associate Director of Science for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, delivered the opening plenary address. Dr. Wieman’s session was held in conjunction with the Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) Conference. Dr. Linda Rosen, Chief Executive Officer of Change the Equation provided the keynote address, and Drs. Jere Confrey and Alan Maloney addressed participants in the closing plenary session. More information on these featured speakers is available here.

Highlights for the more than 60 students and recent graduates in attendance included the National Math and Science Initiative’s launch of the WeTeach Network, a network for students and graduates of UTeach affiliated programs to stay connected, share best practices, develop a learning community to foster innovation in STEM teaching, and search for jobs. As of Spring 2011, more than 4,700 students are enrolled in 22 UTeach programs, including UT Austin, across the country.

This year’s conference was made possible by the generous support of ExxonMobil Corporation, the National Math and Science Initiative, National Instruments, Siemens Foundation, and SMART Technologies.