Alumna chosen as Knowles Science Teaching Foundation Fellow

09-01-2016

Congratulations to Purdue alumna Kate Wooley-Brown who has been chosen by the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation as a member of its 2016 cohort of Teaching Fellows. This year, 34 early-career, high school mathematics and science teachers were awarded KSTF Teaching Fellowships.

Kate is currently in her second year of teaching physics at Brookline High School. Why physics? “I enjoy that physics at the conceptual level is quite accessible to students. It builds and challenges their everyday understanding of phenomenon while also teaching them reasoning and math skills," she explained.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in physics and mathematics from Purdue University in 2008 and a Master of Arts in physics from Harvard University in 2012. This fall, she will begin her second year of teaching at Brookline High School where she teaches physics.

While at Harvard she was an outreach specialist for the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science where she coordinated an engineering design mentor program for fifth grade students. Additionally, she spent a summer developing and teaching project-based, student driven courses for rising 10th–12th grade students as a mechanical engineering and sustainable engineering instructor for Yale University’s EXPLO program. She taught physics for one year prior to her participation in the Newton Teacher Residency Program which grants teaching licensure through training and practical experience.

The Foundation provides support and professional development designed specifically for early-career, high school mathematics and science teachers through its signature program—the KSTF Teaching Fellows Program. With a focus on supporting teacher-led educational improvement in the classroom and beyond, KSTF Teaching Fellows gain access to a comprehensive suite of benefits for five years, including summer stipends, funds for professional development, grants for teaching materials, mentoring and support from experienced teachers and teacher educators, support for teacher leadership activities, and membership in a community of more than 300 like-minded peers in 40 states.