The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program provides a unique professional development opportunity for K-12 educators to inform national STEM policy and improve communication between the STEM education community and national leaders. Albert Einstein Fellows spend eleven months working at the National Science Foundation, bringing extensive knowledge and STEM classroom experience to the agency. In addition, fellows are provided with an extensive program of professional development training during their fellowship year. The Albert Einstein Fellows program is run by the non-profit Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education. The lead federal agency for the program is the Department of Energy Office of Science. Other federal participants in the program include NASA, NOAA, and the U.S. Congress. In 2014-15, NSF will host ten Albert Einstein Fellows.
The Albert Einstein Fellows program is designed to provide substantial STEM work experience beyond the confines of the classroom, as well as extensive training in the fields of science, technology, and engineering, STEM education policy, and STEM program outcomes. For teachers, the program increases STEM knowledge and pedagogical skills, provides an opportunity for building leadership capabilities as STEM experts, and assists with understanding the policy process. Overall, the program brings STEM educator expertise to inform and improve communication with policymakers. The program also encourages broader diversity in STEM by recruiting in demographic sectors (race, ethnicity, location, etc.) that are historically underrepresented.
