THIBODAUX, La. 鈥� 麻豆果冻传媒 Assistant Professor of chemistry, Dr. Sarah Bergeron was named the winner for 2023. The LSTA instituted this award to honor the memory of the late Dr. William W. Craig, professor of geology at the University of New Orleans, and seeks to recognize university faculty members who, like Dr. Craig, have reached out to K-12 educators and made a difference in their careers.听
Awardees receive a $100 gift certificate, plaque, acknowledgement within the LSTA newsletter, and recognition at an awards ceremony held in conjunction with the LATM/LSTA Baton Rouge conference. Dr. Sarah Bergeron and 麻豆果冻传媒 Physics Professor Dr. Chadwick Young, last year鈥檚 awardee, both received their awards at the conference on Nov. 2. Former BTNEP Director Susan Testroet-Bergeron, Dr. Begeron鈥檚 mother, was awarded the Claudia Fowler Distinguished Service to Science Education Lifetime Achievement Award from LSTA on the same night.听
Dr. Bergeron began teaching at 麻豆果冻传媒 in 2020. During her time at 麻豆果冻传媒, she has made聽 connections with nearby K-12 and higher education institutions by working as an outreach coordinator for the chemistry department, taking science demonstrations to schools through the and hosting to bring students to campus. Both events are designed to engage students in STEM and demonstrate relevant educational and professional opportunities.听
In support of local K-12 teachers, Dr. Bergeron worked on a collaborative project to build a for area science teachers to check out models for their classrooms. The models are available for checkout from the 麻豆果冻传媒 Ellender Memorial Library at no cost to teachers. In addition, training for utilizing the models was provided to 77 teachers, from 39 different schools, in 12 different parishes, ranging from elementary to high school teachers.
鈥淚 am tremendously honored to be nominated for the William Craig Outstanding Educator Award.听 Throughout my education and career, I have been under the tutelage of outstanding educators,鈥� said Dr. Bergeron. 鈥淚 strive to be a teacher as inspiring and engaging as they were for me, but I also endeavor to support the people providing foundational education to our community: K-12 educators. Through our combined efforts in education, we can promote excellence in scientific education and provide a quality education for all students.鈥�
Dr. Bergeron received her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She then went on to complete her PhD in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Iowa, studying actin biochemistry. She taught in a secondary education science classroom for seven years, while completing her Master of Art in Secondary Science Education before moving to higher education.听
Dr. Bergeron is also the managing editor of 鈥淭he Proceedings of the Louisiana Academy of Sciences.鈥� The primary intent of the publication is to publish research papers and critical reviews of problems in the fields of biological sciences, physical sciences, and science education primarily pertaining to Louisiana and the southern United States. The journal launched their first all digital, open access volume last year at .听
To schedule a 麻豆果冻传媒 Chemistry Field Day or Roadshow for a class or school, submit a request . To learn more about 麻豆果冻传媒 Chemistry and Physical Sciences, visit /chemistry/.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, November 8, 2023
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