There is something rising in the air at the University of Texas Permian Basin. It is the smell of success, and a new program that is brewing in the College of Education. Starting in Fall 2022, students interested in careers in science and mathematics teaching will have a nationwide program at their disposal. The UTPB College of Education will welcome its first cohort of students into the UTeach Permian Basin program. Students will graduate with a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, but also leave the university with the credentials to teach middle school or high school math or science. UTeach was created in the late 1990’s at the University of Texas to fulfill the need for qualified science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teachers in the state of Texas. Since the program’s early beginnings, replication sites have been developed at over 40 universities across the nation, including 10 additional universities in the state of Texas.
Dr. David Sparks, Assistant Professor in the College of Education, and Dr. Milka Montes, Associate Professor of Chemistry, will serve as the program co-directors for UTeach Permian Basin. The program is sponsored by a generous donation from the Permian Strategic Partnership. As in many other communities in Texas and across the nation, there is a great need for highly qualified math and science teachers at the middle and high school levels. UTeach Permian Basin seeks to fill that need by doubling its output of math and science teachers, many of whom will remain in the Permian Basin after they graduate. A committee has also been formed which includes representatives from the UTPB College of Arts and Sciences, local school districts and community colleges, and local business and industry. The goal of the UTeach Permian Basin Steering Committee is to assist in creating a program that prepares highly qualified teachers, but also helps teachers prepare students that are excited about unravelling the challenges of life in the Permian Basin.
For students interested in becoming math and science teachers, it is definitely an exciting time to be a UTPB Falcon. If you have questions related to the new UTeach Permian Basin program, please contact Dr. David Sparks at sparks_d@utpb.edu or Dr. Milka Montes at montes_m@utpb.edu. #FalconsUp #UTeach Permian Basin
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