Graduates of programs in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) have an opportunity to turn their passion for STEM into a career in teaching.
The University of Kentucky College of Education, with support from a $1.71 million National Science Foundation grant, is addressing the continued shortage of STEM teachers in the Commonwealth.
Through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at the University of Kentucky, 10 applicants will be selected as Noyce fellows and receive $34,760, which can be used for UK's Master of Arts in Teaching in STEM program, and a $15,000 stipend per year to enhance their teaching salary during their first four years in a Kentucky school district.
The program's namesake, physicist Robert Noyce, helped develop the microchip.
"This five-year project aims to help address the need to prepare highly qualified STEM teachers for classrooms in the Commonwealth," said Jennifer Wilhelm, Ph.D., professor in UK's Department of STEM Education and principal investigator on the project.
In addition to financial support for their master's degree and stipend, Wilhelm noted that Noyce Fellows have an opportunity to engage in strategic STEM activities during their first four years of teaching.
"The goal is that they will be equipped as effective STEM educators and active in leading colleagues in their schools, districts and professional organizations," Wilhelm said.
Requirements to apply for the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program include:
- Undergraduate degree in a STEM field with at least a 2.75 grade point average (must be obtained by May 2026)
- Interest in becoming a certified 8th-12th grade teacher in Kentucky
The GRE is not required for admission.
