UT STEM Center

Who We Are

The STEM Center at the University of Texas at Austin (UT STEM Center) is a research and service unit in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the College of Education. The UT STEM Center is an intellectual hub that brings together a diverse set of constituencies interested in improving teaching and learning in STEM disciplines for all students. Its primary goals are to:

° Cultivate cutting edge, programmatic research in K-12 STEM education

° Improve K-12 STEM teaching and learning through research, professional development, and outreach

° Build interdisciplinary and collaborative teams of researchers

° Foster the next generation of STEM education researchers

What We’re Fundraising For

The STEM Center within the College of Education offers undergraduate students an opportunity to gain research experience on faculty projects that focus on various aspects of K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. The apprenticeship-based research experiences are designed to provide a unique opportunity for students to learn relevant research practices, skills, and habits of mind; to learn to work collaboratively, think critically and problem-solve creatively as part of a team; and to learn more about teaching and learning in STEM disciplines.

Undergraduate students in all areas will be welcome to apply to the program, however, College of Education teacher education students with interests in K-12 STEM education, in particular, will be specifically recruited. For these latter students, the research experience will provide a unique and complementary opportunity to connect their teacher education course work and field experiences to cutting-edge research focused on K-12 student learning and evidence-based teaching practices in STEM disciplines.

Your Impact

A critical aspect of teacher professional development is for teachers to view their classrooms as sites for learning, and the research experience will provide students with ways of thinking about their classrooms as well as the tools for making sense of their classrooms as sites for learning. In addition, it often takes time for the results of research to find its way into practice, yet through the research experience, the students (as future teachers) will gain first-hand experience with the latest research on STEM teaching and learning. Funds will be used to provide students with stipends for their work on faculty research projects; students will work 8-10 hours per week (for a 15-week semester) under the supervision of faculty and graduate student mentors.

Become an Ambassador!

Event

Faculty & Staff Pre-Campaign Match

The first $40,000 in payroll deduction pledges, made by UT Austin faculty and staff will be matched based upon amount pledge between the first day pledged and August 31, 2020. There is no maximum individual donation amount for this opportunity.

Leaderboard

Gift Leaderboard

College, school, unit, or organization with the greatest number of gifts will receive awards in the following order:

Department (159)

Match

First-Time Donor Match

The first $5,000 in gifts made by people who have never made a gift to The University of Texas at Austin will receive a match. Any gift of $50 or less will be matched until the total funds to be awarded, $5,000, is exhausted. Constituent classification will be determined by self-selection at check-out and will be verified by the 40 for Forty Committee. All awards will be tentative until constituent identity can be verified.

Match

2020 Class Gift Match

All gifts made by current UT Austin underclassmen and graduate students scheduled to graduate in 2020 will be matched until the total funds to be awarded, $50,000, is exhausted. Constituent classification will be determined by self-selection at check-out and will be verified by the 40 for Forty Committee. All awards will be tentative until constituent identity can be verified.

$600

6,000 Gift Milestone Award

To celebrate specific milestones in the campaign, an additional award will be added to the area that receives the following milestone gifts. The award designation will be determined by the receiving college, school, unit or organization. For the 6,000th gift you win an additional $600

6,000 Gift Goal

$800

8,000 Gift Milestone Award

8,000 Gift Goal

$1,000

10,000 Gift Milestone Award

10,000 Gift Goal

$3,000

12,000 Gift Milestone Award

12,000 Gift Goal

Event

Longhorn Pride Social Media Challenge

Show your Longhorn pride and help the UT area of your choice win $1,000! Post a selfie or photo showing your Longhorn pride and tell your friends what you support during 40 for Forty. The winning photo, as decided by the 40 for Forty committee, will win an extra $1,000 for the UT area of your choice. Only photos posted on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using the hashtags #UT40for40 and #UTEntry will be eligible to win.

Event

International Challenge

The first donor from each continent will win an additional $250 toward their designation. Donor’s residence country will be determined by the donor heat map function of giving day website and the credit card billing address.

Leaderboard

Total Dollars Leaderboard

College, school, unit, or organization with the highest amount of dollars raised will receive awards in the following order

Department (159)

Leaderboard

Kick Off Challenge

The top 3 colleges, schools, units and organizations that receive the greatest number of unique gifts within this designated period will receive an additional award. The award designation will be determined by the receiving college, school, unit or organization.

Department (159)

Match

Longhorn Student Match

The first $2,500 in gifts made within this period by currently enrolled UT students will receive a match. Any gift of $25 or less will be matched until the total funds to be awarded, $2,500, is exhausted. Constituent classification will be determined by self-selection at check-out and will be verified by the 40 for Forty Committee. All awards will be tentative until constituent identity can be verified.

$500

5,000 Gift Milestone Award

5,000 Gift Goal

$700

7,000 Gift Milestone Award

7,000 Gift Goal

$900

9,000 Gift Milestone Award

9,000 Gift Goal

$2,000

11,000 Gift Milestone Award

11,000 Gift Goal

Event

Ambassador Round-Up Challenge

The college, school, unit or organization who has the most verified ambassadors signed up through Scalefunder via the 40 for Forty website by June 14 at 11:59 CST will win an extra $1,000. Ambassadors must select the college, school, unit or organization as the destination of their referral link to count toward this challenge. The award designation will be determined by the receiving college, school, unit or organization.

Event

US State Challenge

Keep an eye on the main page’s donation heat map! The first donor from each state will win an additional $100 toward their designation. Donor’s residence state will be determined by the donor heat map function of giving day website and the credit card billing address.

Event

40 for Forty Video Contest

The college, school, unit or organization who has the best video as decided by the 40 for Forty Committee included in their 40 for Forty application submitted by February 7, 2020 will receive an additional $1,000. The award designation will be determined by the receiving college, school, unit or organization. Extended Deadline: March 6th at 11:59 CST

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