universities receive funding for math and science teacher training

November 14, 2007

Twelve U.S. universities will receive more than $25 million from the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) to help increase the number of graduates with enhanced math and science teaching skills. NMSI is supported primarily by a $125-million grant from Exxon Mobil Corporation.

"As a company that employs 14,000 engineers and scientists, ExxonMobil knows how important it is to provide the best education and training possible for our nation's young people," said Rex Tillerson, chairman and chief executive. "We are proud to be part of this important effort to begin to address the critical shortage of math and science teachers in our schools."

NMSI is awarding the grants, of up to $2.4 million each, to the universities to start programs modeled after UTeach, a highly successful teacher preparation program at The University of Texas at Austin. The first recipients, Florida State University and the University of Florida, were announced at a ceremony today, and additional grants will be announced in the days ahead.

"The UTeach program invests in the teachers of those who will become future leaders in key technology industries critical to the development and competitiveness of the United States," said Tom Luce, CEO of NMSI, a non-profit organization, created with support from ExxonMobil, to advance U.S. math and science education.

"As society demands more and more technological advancements, investments in those who teach in math, science, and technology become critical for continuous success and long-term growth."

NMSI hopes to fund the creation of many more UTeach programs on campuses across the country in the years ahead with a goal of making the UTeach program the national standard in math and science teacher preparation.

"UTeach has proven a very successful model for preparing our next-generation science and math teachers," said Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, dean of the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, where UTeach was developed.

"We're very excited to have the opportunity to replicate the program at universities across the Unites States. The more the program spreads, the more fine teachers we will be producing to inspire and educate our nation's children to discover and create new science and technology for the future."