Science Teachers Acquired Through New Direction in New Mexico, STAND-NM, is recruiting 21 undergraduate Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Earth Science majors into the secondary science teaching profession. The STAND-NM is providing a venue for collaboration and involvement of science and education faculty invested in the success of the STEM students that is improving the preparation of these teachers, providing professional development and science-specific induction support for beginning science teachers, and improving the pedagogical content knowledge of secondary science teachers. Highly qualified teachers are graduating from this program with a very strong foundation in both content and pedagogical knowledge. Given the unique and diverse environment New Mexico State University is situated in, the 21 Noyce Scholars are being provided with many opportunities to teach a diverse range of students in high-need areas and the Noyce Scholars are being recruited from under-represented groups, including Hispanics, Native Americans, African Americans, and women. Through education research this program is also adding to the knowledge and understanding of the development of science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in a population of pre-service teachers who have received the majority of their content knowledge before their pedagogical preparation. A fuller understanding of the development of pedagogical content knowledge is being gained by following these teachers into the early years of their teaching careers.
