Published: April 8, 2016
Ms. Laurence won the NSTA Wendell G. Mohling Outstanding Aerospace Educator Award! The rest of this post is from their press release.
ARLINGTON, Va. — April 11, 2016 — The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning, has announced the recipients of its 2016 Teacher Awards.
The Teacher Awards program recognizes extraordinary K-12 teachers, professors, principals, and science educators for their outstanding achievements in science education.
“These teachers and science education professionals have shown tremendous dedication and commitment to their students and to science education,” noted NSTA President Carolyn Hayes. “We are so proud to honor them as they help to inspire the next generation of informed citizens, scientists, engineers, and innovators who can embrace all that science can offer.”
Wendi Laurence, adjunct faculty at Portland State University in Park City, Utah, was awarded the Wendell G. Mohling Outstanding Aerospace Educator Award. This award recognizes excellence in the field of aerospace education. Laurence was honored for her accomplishments on April 1 at NSTA’s National Conference on Science Education in Nashville.
Laurence brings expertise, passion, research and curiosity to everything she does. Her students get the unique opportunity to explore STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) through aerospace learning opportunities. Her aerospace work mostly occurs in museums, camps, and after-school programs. Recently, she worked with NASA’s Summer of Innovation to create learning opportunities for underserved youth. Laurence shares her expertise in camp management, curriculum design, and informal educator professional development.
Laurence also has built partnerships between STEAM professionals and children to experience the joy of inquiry and exploration. She recently included the arts when she partnered with The Egyptian Youth Theatre to launch a space camp that fully immersed students in learning about rockets, astronomy, art, and dance. Laurence is a gifted program and curriculum designer who uses current research and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). She also has conducted her own research to further aerospace learning. Laurence is currently designing an innovative astronomy curriculum utilizing visualization technology for visual spatial learners and dyslexic students.
While serving as chair of NSTA’s Aerospace Education Advisory Board, Laurence helped launch the first NSTA aerospace share-a-thon for educators, aerospace professionals, museums, and government agencies to share work and resources.
Laurence received a $3,000 cash award and $2,000 toward expenses to attend the NSTA National Conference.
“We congratulate Ms. Laurence for her commitment to science education and for her innovative and creative approach to teaching our students science,” said Hayes.