Intel Excellence in Science Teaching Awards


2004-5-12

This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report.

Five high school teachers are the winners of an international award from the computer technology company Intel in the United States. The award honors excellence in the teaching of mathematics and science. The program is also meant as a way to help the winners share their ideas with other teachers.

The five teachers won trips to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held this week in Portland, Oregon. Each of the teachers also received more than three-thousand dollars in prize winnings. Each winner will also be able to request up to ten-thousand dollars to pay for establishing their programs in other schools.

The winners are from Argentina, Japan, Ukraine and the United States. Maria Adela Moyano de Burt teaches biology at a high school in Concepcion City, Argentina. Her program unites local students and adults to work on research projects. These involve the environment and behavioral science. The goal is to develop ways to help improve the quality of life in their area.

Akihiko Shindo teaches at a high school in Okayama, Japan. The award information says he presents students with scientific methods usually taught only at the university level. He has also developed a four-day camp for high school students to learn about scientific technology and nature.

Paul Pshenichka teaches physics in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. He established a group for students to work with scientific advisers and receive support for research. Students in his program take part in Ukrainian national and international scientific conferences and competitions.

Roberta Tanner teaches physics in Loveland, Colorado. She developed a class that permits students to design and build their own engineering and electronics projects.

Wafa Khalil teaches in Miami, Florida. She developed a course of study about forms of energy like power from the sun. Students investigate energy use around the world. This includes the economic and environmental effects.

Intel calls its International Science and Engineering Fair "the world's largest pre-college celebration of science." More than one-thousand high school students from forty countries are presenting science projects in Portland this week.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Steve Ember.