This project funds scholarships for a total of 35 undergraduate STEM students and post-baccalaureate career changers in STEM disciplines to become grades 9 through 12 teachers in high-need urban schools located in New York City. Education and induction of these students is carried out by a partnership involving the Natural Science and the Graduate Education Departments at Fordham University, the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo, other area informal science centers, and several area school districts. Upon acceptance into the education program, both undergraduate and graduate Scholars are individually paired with an in-service teacher who serves as their mentor while they are in school and through the induction period. Pre-service teachers participate in internships during the summer, and there a variety of internship opportunities open to them. For example they can learn how to motivate students to learn by using animals; they can work with New York in-service teachers who are also interning at informal science sites; and they can develop curriculum that can used in formal and informal science settings. Towards the end of their educational training, the Noyce Scholars participate in a 3-day per week clinical experience in one of the partnership schools. During induction, teachers meet with their mentor in-service teacher, participate in an online e-community site, and attend a retreat at the Zoo.
