FUSION Programs
The FUSION Center engages in K-20 teacher and faculty professional development, STEM School start-up and support, K-12 instructional enrichment programs for students, recruitment of K-12 students and career changers into the teaching field, and whole-school reform efforts in science and mathematics education.
K-12 School Programs
Hughes STEM High School
Hughes STEM High School is a Cincinnati platform school for teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The school is supported by the SW Ohio STEM Education Hub of OSLN, with members from area business, education, and informal education organizations, key stakeholders responsible for providing oversight for the school. Hughes STEM High School is an open-enrollment high school with a freshmen and sophomore class Fall, 2010. For more information on the school visit the school website at: http://hughesstem.cps-k12.org/
Taft STEM Elementary School
Taft STEM Elementary opened August, 2008. The FUSION Center Leadership team are involved with professional development support for teachers at the school, enabling them to effectively utilize a Universal Design for Learning (UDL)model of instruction with Project/ Problem-Based Learning (PBL) activities. Taft is also utilizing technology with innovative lessons in all subjects. For more information on the Taft project, contact Dr. James Basham at James.basham@uc.edu.
Southwest Ohio Secondary Teaching Academy
Forty-four high school students interested in teaching mathematics or science were provided an opportunity to participate in a college experience sponsored by the University of Cincinnati and Miami University. The students resided at each campus for one week of the summer while taking a university level PreCalculus course for five hours each day. This enabled the students to receive credit which will transfer to any Ohio higher education institution as “TAG” credits.
Southwestern Ohio District Science & Engineering Expo
The Science & Engineering Expo is open to students in grades 7 through 12 across Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Preble and Warren counties. The top projects at the Science & Engineering Expo become eligible for one of the largest events of its kind in the nation – the Ohio Academy of Science/State Science Day in Columbus. Top contenders at the Science & Engineering Expo may also qualify for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair or the Discovery Channel Young Scientists’ Challenge.
FIRST LEGO League
UC partners with iSPACE, K-12 schools, and community groups to provide this inquiry-rich, problem-based STEM lego project. Participants employ a Robotics Invention System, Next Generation and RoboLab technologies to build a robot and compete. Regional finalists compete in the international FIRST LEGO League World Festival. In 2008-2009 the First Tech Challenge Robotics Tournament for high school students was at the University of Cincinnati.
Scholarship Programs
Robert Noyce Scholarship Program
Noyce scholarships are for pre-service teacher candidates pursuing a degree in mathematics, science or engineering OR students who are career changers (persons with an undergraduate degree who want to become a math/science teacher). The recipients for the Noyce scholarship receive funding for the academic year in exchange for their willingness to work in a high needs school upon graduation.
Choose Ohio First Scholarships Program
The Choose Ohio First Scholarships Program provides money and other supports for a diverse group of candidates for the Early Childhood, Middle Childhood and Special Education programs, as well as graduate students. Students will learn about inquiry-based integration of mathematics and science content and take courses that emphasis best practices and participate in cooperative education experiences designed and implemented by an interdisciplinary team of Education, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering faculty.