Toyota USA Foundation Announces Awards for Math, Science Teaching
By Ronald Roach

NEW YORK

The Toyota USA Foundation has announced that it is awarding $695,965 in grants to four universities to support initiatives designed to enhance the teaching of K-12 math and science. Recipients of the awards are the University of Central Florida, Orlando; the University of Denver, Colorado; New Mexico State University, Las Cruces; and the University of Central Arkansas, Conway.

"We're pleased to announce this new partnership with these institutions of higher learning," says Atsushi "Art" Niimi, president, Toyota USA Foundation. "Each of these schools has developed important, innovative teaching and learning opportunities for K-12 math and science."

The University of Central Florida will receive $270,000 to initiate "The Transition to Mathematics and Science Teaching Program." This innovative alternative teacher certification initiative, designed to help alleviate the critical shortage of qualified and certified middle school math and science teachers, is a fast track education program that will allow participants to earn either a Masters of Arts in Math or Science degree and become certified in one year.

The University of Denver will receive $240,000 over three years to support the expansion of its successful "Making of an Engineer" summer program for high school students.

Funding of $100,000 over two years will allow New Mexico State University to expand the Southern New Mexico Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA), an eight-week after school and one-week summer program that combines school-based math and science curriculum, university enrichment activities and parental involvement to include 9th-12th grade students.

And a grant of $85,965 over three years will enable the University of Central Arkansas to conduct a multi-level electron microscopy outreach program.