The Drive to Improve Science Education
The Academy’s Authentic Science Research program, supported by NSF and SUNY-Albany, empowers teachers with the tools to be confident scientists and impactful mentors.
Published March 1, 2000
By Fred Moreno, Anne de León, and Jennifer Tang
Academy Contributors
To the students enrolled in Viveca Peek’s rigorous science research course at Humanities H.S. in Manhattan, showing up for a “zero period” class at 7:30 a.m. can be quite a challenge—as all who have ever endured the New York City subway know so well. “Showing up, on time, is sometimes easier said than done,” says Peek. “You need dedication.”
The research course is the heart of “Authentic Science Research (ASR),” a three-year project sponsored by The New York Academy of Sciences (the Academy) through an arrangement with a State University of New York at Albany/National Science Foundation grant. The program is designed to train and help teachers establish and lead science programs in their respective high schools; 15 NYC high schools currently participate.
In this innovative project, Peek’s responsibilities include teaching her students the scientific method; helping them to identify appropriate literature covering the topics they have selected; providing constructive feedback on student hypotheses and experimental designs; identifying resources to support the inquiry; and, perhaps most important, locating professors and professionals in the scientific community who are willing to serve as student mentors.
A Vital Part of Professional Development
Peek encourages her students “to do hands-on work on topics that are related to your lives.” They have responded by selecting topics relating to autism and steroids, as well as esoteric topics such as the Black Band disease in the Coral Reef. Students in the program have successfully competed in local and national science competitions such as the Intel Science Talent Search and the Academy’s own Science and Technology Expo.
She views the ASR program as a vital part of her professional development as a teacher. The training includes a three-week summer institute held at the Academy, for which participating teachers receive three graduate credits. Peek declares “I would be lost if I hadn’t taken the institute.”
She also expresses appreciation for “the chance to meet other teachers going through the same thing.” She has kept in touch with others in the institute, sharing information and experiences and exchanging war stories.
The Academy is in frequent contact with the 15 participating schools and provides a schedule of school visits designed to offer support and guidance for staff and parents in adapting the needs of individual schools to the demands of the program. Teachers are also required to take five follow-up workshops throughout the school year.
When Peek welcomes her students early each morning, this most prized of all professionals—a deeply dedicated teacher—resumes the gentle guiding, encouraging, and occasional prodding of the young scientists entrusted to her care.
Learn more about educational opportunities at the Academy.
