What do you hope to gain from your fellowship experience?
I simply hope to grow as an educator. But that’s vague. And broad. And a little scary. Part of me knows that I will gain things from this experience that I can’t even conceive right now, and that’s exciting.
But I’m also ready for the things I’m ready for, like experiencing what life is like in a research lab so that when I’m teaching my students asesptic technique, micropipetting, and gel electrophoresis, I can share tips from my own experience to help them better learn those skills. Like connecting with and learning from my mentor, Dr. Rao, who has a creative and ambitious vision for what my final product will be. Like gaining a network of professionals in the field of stem cell research who may open doors for my students to experience the field themselves.
I want to not only develop a cross-curricular product that promotes collaboration, technology, citizenship, curiosity, and self-reflection, but I want these traits to be hallmarks of my classroom as a whole. By completing the fellowship experience and connecting with other STEM educators around the state, I hope to gain tools that will help me reach that goal.