Foundation Names Florida Tech’s InSTEP a Business Partner of the Year

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Out of more than 80 organizations nominated, the Florida Institute of Technology’s Integrated Science Teaching Enhancement Partnership (InSTEP) program was selected by the Brevard Schools Foundation to receive the Business Partner of the Year award for its commitment and contributions to improving Brevard schools.The award was presented at the inaugural Applauding Brevard’s Champions (ABC) Awards ceremony at the King Center on Jan. 19. Other winners are Zachry Industries and Triangle Auto. Florida Tech was nominated by the West Melbourne Elementary School for Science and Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School of the Arts.

A collaboration between Florida Tech and Brevard Public Schools, the InSTEP program encourages and promotes students’ enthusiasm for science. Also a National Science Foundation-funded program, InSTEP partners graduate teaching Fellows from Florida Tech’s science departments—biology, chemistry, marine and environmental systems, and physics—with Brevard County teachers. Together, they develop and pilot a series of inquiry- and problem-based lesson plans and activities linking core content areas including Earth science, biology, chemistry, physics and environmental science. Fellows also visit elementary schools throughout the county to give guest lectures and conduct demonstrations of science concepts as part of InSTEP’s Lunch with a Scientist program. InSTEP also conducts science lessons and outreach programs for Brevard school groups at local field sites using its Science Exploration At Sea (SEAS) Mobile Laboratory.

The goal of InSTEP is to use ocean discovery as a common theme to integrate concepts and perspectives while taking advantage of Brevard County’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Florida’s other extensive marine resources.

To learn more about the InSTEP program, visit http://research.fit.edu/instep/index.html.