Poster Session Proves Hit at Pre-Service Conference
Feb 25 2008
Student poster presentations from 38 colleges and universities highlighted the 13th annual Pre-Service Teacher Conference Feb. 14-16 at Alexandria, VA.
The NASA Office of Education at Langley Research Center hosted the event, and two members of the Center for Educational Technologies®, Associate Director Laurie Ruberg and Educator Resource Center Coordinator Jane Neuenschwander, oversaw the poster contest.
"The student poster presentations continue to improve each year, which makes the judging process challenging," Ruberg said. "We were fortunate to have such an excellent team of judges to review the poster entries and afternoon oral presentations. Feedback from the students, their faculty advisors, and the conference organizers indicates that the students greatly benefited from this professional development opportunity. The conference organizers were pleased with the judges' selections and valued the judging team's blend of science, mathematics, technology, and education areas of experience and expertise."
Here are this year's winners:
First Place: Howard University
Title: Why Did Pluto Get Kicked Out of the Planet Club?
Second Place: University of Texas - Brownsville
Title: Yes, It's Invisible and ExtraordinAIRy!
Third Place: Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Title: Get in Motion to Protect Our Ocean: Break Free from Ocean Debris
Fourth Place: University of New Mexico - Albuquerque
Title: It's Down Under: In the Aquifer!
The poster competition is designed to provide an experience for pre-service elementary and middle school teachers that addresses the following goals of the Pre-Service Teacher Conference: (1) to enhance knowledge, skills, and strategies for teaching mathematics and science; and (2) to promote enthusiasm and self-confidence for teaching lessons that include science, technology, engineering, and math connections.
Here is a list of the judges:
- Dr. Aziza Baccouche, Aziza Productions
- S. Beth Barbier, SP Systems Inc./Goddard Space Flight Center
- Fabienne Bastien, University of Maryland Department of Astronomy
- Dr. Catherine (Cari) Corrigan, Smithsonian Institution
- Donya Douglas, Goddard Space Flight Center
- Prof. Mohamed Eltoweissy, Virginia Tech
- Dr. Jennifer Grier, Planetary Science Institute
- Robert Hall, director, Museum Academy, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithosonian Institution
- Dr. Jerry Hartman, NASA Exploration Systems mission directorate
- Dr. Joan Johnson Hoskins, Regent University Alexandria Campus
- Dr. Stanley Jones, Fairfax County Public Schools
- Dr. Carolyn Kornegay, McKinley Technology High School
- Dr. Anita Krishnamurthi, astrophysicist/EPO scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center/University of Maryland
- Dr. James Lochner, Goddard Space Flight Center & CRESST/USRA
- Dr. Michael Odell, University of Texas at Tyler
- Dr. Wes Patterson, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- Theresa Schwerin, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
- Dr. Jim Thieman, Goddard Space Flight Center
- Dr. Valerie L. Thomas, NASA (retired)
- Elizabeth Warner, University of Maryland
