November 7, 2024
By Mikey Fuller

Earlier this year Fan Zhang, assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering’s Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics program, hosted Lindley Middle School science teacher Marchan Jackson as part of Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT), a professional development program for Georgia K-12 teachers.

GIFT provides participants with STEM internships in university research labs, industry, and informal science educational institutions. GIFT, created in 1991 and managed statewide by Georgia Tech's Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), is designed to immerse teachers in workplace integrated learning as well as foster an increase in student inquiry skills and positive attitudes toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

During the five-week process, Zhang and Jackson developed educational and outreach modules on nuclear energy, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to be implemented in Lindley Middle School’s curriculum. Zhang hopes these canvas-based modules, designed for easy expansion and adaptation, can be used by other schools, ensuring broader reach and impact.

Zhang said the motivation for integrating the GIFT program into her work was to increase the impact of equitable outreach by providing an immersive experience for educators, amplifying passion and interest in STEM for students and increasing the diversity of the future of STEM in the workforce.

The program concluded with a workshop, where Jackson talked about the status of science classes in schools and the plan to implement the developed modules to her curriculum. There were also presentations from Intelligence for Advanced Nuclear (iFAN) Laboratory group members who highlighted their cutting-edge research in the fields of robotics and nuclear technology.

Zhang said the enthusiastic participation and engagement of all attendees made the workshop a truly memorable and impactful experience. "We look forward to continuing our efforts in educational outreach and fostering a deeper understanding of nuclear engineering and advanced technologies among young students."

In her final report for the program, Jackson said, “As educators continue to seek innovative ways to teach complex subjects, partnerships with nuclear labs stand out as a powerful tool for fostering a deeper understanding and passion for science among middle school students.”

Funding for the program was provided by Zhang’s Distinguished Early Career Award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). The DOE's Distinguished Early Career Program (DECP) aims to recognize distinguished researchers at the pivotal initial stage of their careers, and works to support high-impact contributions to nuclear energy research, innovation, discovery, leadership, and dissemination of knowledge.