Summer Science Program welcomes a
record-breaking 48 faculty representing a diversity in age,
ethnicity, experience level and field of study.
NEW YORK, June 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, SSP
International (SSP), a nonprofit offering inspiring science
education immersion experiences, announced the hire of 48 faculty
for its 2024 Summer Science Program. This faculty class is the
largest and most diverse in the organization's history, reflecting
a spectrum of ages, ethnicities, degrees, experience levels,
nationalities, fields of study and history with SSP.
"This milestone reflects our steadfast commitment to educating
young minds and cultivating a more equitable future in science,"
said Frank Steslow, CEO of SSP
International. "These 2024 Summer Science Program faculty members
will inspire and guide the next generation of scientific leaders.
Together, we reaffirm our dedication to creating transformative
opportunities and breaking down barriers in STEM education."
As one of the nation's longest-running research-based science
education programs, Summer Science Program offers highly motivated
high school students from around the world intensive science
immersion experiences on college campuses. With this diverse new
faculty team, the nonprofit will provide both exceptional
scientific instruction and a set of role models to inspire passion
for science in students of all backgrounds.
SSP International is thrilled to welcome outstanding faculty,
including:
Dr. Rachel
Avard is an assistant professor at Framingham State
University and will serve as an associate academic director of the
2024 Summer Science Program in Biochemistry at Purdue University. Dr. Avard has a bachelor's
degree in chemistry from Assumption
College and a doctorate, master's in philosophy and master's
in chemistry from Columbia University.
Dr. Avard received the Mary Miles Bibb Teaching Fellowship for the
2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years for her commitment to
diversity and inclusion in teaching.
Dr. Donovan
Domingue is a professor of physics and astronomy at
Georgia College and will serve as the
academic director of the 2024 Summer Science Program in
Astrophysics at Georgia College & State
University. Domingue has a bachelor's degree in physics from
Louisiana State University and a
doctorate in physics from the University of
Alabama.
Dr. Michael Dubson is
associate chair for undergraduate studies and senior instructor in
the physics department at University of
Colorado Boulder. This summer, he will serve as the academic
director of the 2024 Summer Science Program in Astrophysics at the
University of Colorado Boulder. Dubson
holds a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign
and a doctorate in condensed matter experimental physics from
Cornell University.
Dr. Cassie
Fallscheer is an astronomer in the Physics
Department at Central Washington
University and will serve as associate academic director of
the 2024 Summer Science Program in Astrophysics at the University of Colorado Boulder. She received her
bachelor's in math and physics from California Polytechnic State
University, a master's of astronomy from Wesleyan University and a doctorate in astrophysics
from the University of Heidelberg/Max Planck Institute for
Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany.
Dr. Mary
Keithly is an associate professor in the Department
of Mathematical and Natural Sciences at Chadron State College and will serve as an academic
director of the 2024 Summer Science Program in Genomics at
Purdue University. Keithly holds a
bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Missouri – St. Louis and a doctorate in chemistry from
Vanderbilt University. In 2023, she
received the Teaching Excellence Award from the Nebraska State
College System.
Dr. Melissa
Lamanna is an assistant professor at Wagner College and will serve as an associate
academic director of the 2024 Summer Science Program in Genomics at
Purdue University. She earned an
associate's degree in chemistry and a bachelor's degree in biology
from Indiana University Southeast, as
well as a doctorate in microbiology from Indiana University Bloomington.
Dr. Truong
Le is senior professorial lecturer for the Department of
Physics at American University and will
serve as associate academic director of the 2024 Summer at Science
Program in Astrophysics at New Mexico State
University. Le has a bachelor's degree in physics and
chemical physics and a master's in gravitational physics from
Wichita State University and a
doctorate in computational astrophysics from George Mason University.
Barb
Martinez will serve as the site director of the
2024 Summer Science Program in Astrophysics at New Mexico Tech, returning for her 15th
year with the program. She has a bachelor's degree in education
from the College of Santa Fe and is
retired from her career as a high school teacher.
Kim
McIntosh is a biology teacher and the chair of the
science department at Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona. She will serve as the site
director of the 2024 Summer Science Program in Genomics at
Georgetown University. McIntosh is a
first-generation college graduate and holds a bachelor's and a
master's degree in biology from Arizona State
University.
Dr. Fortune Ononiwu is an assistant
professor of chemistry at Bennington
College and will serve as an associate academic director of
the 2024 Summer Science Program in Synthetic Chemistry at
Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
Dr. Ononiwu received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from
Covenant University in Nigeria and
his doctorate from Syracuse
University.
Dr. Adam
Rengstorf is the interim chair of the Department of
Chemistry and Physics and an associate professor of physics and
astronomy at Purdue University
Northwest. He will serve as an academic director of the 2024 Summer
Science Program in Astrophysics at New Mexico
State University. Rengstorf is a first-generation college
graduate and holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Binghamton University and a doctorate in
astronomy from Indiana University.
Al
Shorey is a teacher and head of the math department
at Darlington School, a co-ed boarding school in Georgia. He will serve as the site director of
the 2024 Summer Science Program in Genomics at Purdue University. Shorey is a retired U.S. Army
lieutenant colonel and has a bachelor's degree in electrical
engineering from the United States Military
Academy, a master's in engineering management from the
University of Missouri at Rolla and a
master's in civil engineering from the University of Tennessee.
Rob
Steinman is a science teacher at The Hill School, a
coeducational preparatory boarding school in Pennsylvania. He will serve as the site
director of the 2024 Summer Science Program in Genomics at
New Mexico State University. Steinman
has a bachelor's degree in physics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master's
degree in physics from the University of South
Carolina.
About SSP International
SSP International is a
nonprofit offering inspiring science immersion experiences. Founded
in 1959, its mission is to provide opportunities to accelerate
learning, doing and belonging in science. SSP International's
flagship program is Summer Science Program, a leading education
experience for exceptional high school students in astrophysics,
biochemistry, genomics and more. For more information, visit
summerscience.org and follow Summer Science Program on Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Contact: Jocelin Leon
Phone: (212) 337-8870
Email: jocelin@thetascgroup.com
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SOURCE SSP International