IT'S ABOUT TIME® Announces the Addition of James B. Short and Cary Sneider to its New Board of Directors
New York, New York (PRWEB) December 10, 2014 -- IT’S ABOUT TIME® (“IAT"), the nation’s leading STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education publisher since 1996, announced today the appointment of two new members to its newly-formed Board of Directors -- James (“Jim”) B. Short, Ed.D, and Cary Sneider, Ph.D, who join founding board member Arthur Eisenkraft (appointed in October).
Jim Short currently serves as the director of the Gottesman Center for Science Teaching and Learning in the Education Department at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. His expertise in transforming learning experiences for students in science education parallels to Gottesman’s long-standing mission of improving student performance and teacher capacity. He is also the PI of Urban Advantage, a partnership program in middle school science education that includes eight New York informal science education institutions and the NYC Department of Education. With a wealth of experience spanning over 20 years in science education, including 10 years of classroom teaching in K-12 schools, his expertise on inquiry-based learning and teaching has laid the groundwork for students and districts across the nation.
On his new appointment to IAT’s Board of Directors, Dr. Short said: "Teachers need research-based instructional materials to help them address the challenges of teaching 21st century science and to engage students in authentic science learning experiences. IAT has a long history of supporting innovative science curricula. As a member of the Board of Advisors, I look forward to helping IAT advocate for better science education in this country.”
Cary Sneider, a distinguished professor and author with an extensive background in science education, joins IAT’s Board as a long-standing partner-in STEM with IAT in developing their science curricula. His work focuses on advancing links to science centers and schools in order to promote student inquiry, as well as fusing engineering and technology education into the K-12 curriculum.
While consulting on a range of issues in STEM education from youth programs at science centers to educational standards and assessments, Sneider also contributed to "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (National Research Council 2012), the roadmap for new scientific standards. Sneider has also held past positions as Vice President for Educator Programs at the Museum of Science in Boston and Director of Astronomy and Physics Education at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California. He is currently an Associate Research Professor at Portland State University, where he teaches courses in research methodology in a Masters of Science Teaching Degree program at the Center for Science Education.
The addition of both Short and Sneider to IAT's board underscores the company's continuous and evolving commitment to innovating STEM education globally. Notes Laurie Kriendler (IAT’s Co-Founder and Managing Partner): “We are thrilled to welcome Jim Short and Cary Sneider to our Board of Directors. As respected and innovative leaders in science education, they bring with them decades of invaluable experience that will contribute to our combined goal of redefining science education for all."
ABOUT JAMES B. SHORT
Jim Short is currently the Director of the Gottesman Center for Science Teaching and Learning in the Education Department at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Where the center focuses on science education through curriculum support, professional development and partnerships with schools, Short helped transform learning experiences for students. He is the PI of Urban Advantage, a partnership program ins middle school science education that includes eight NYC informal science education institutions and the NYC Department of Education. With a reach of more than 200 middle schools and over 600 science teachers, it has served over 63,000 students and one third of the middle schools in NYC. He is also on the faculty of the Museum’s Master of Arts in Teaching program. Before his role at the American Museum of Natural History, Short was a science curriculum coordinator in the Division of Teaching and Learning at Denver Public Schools where he redesigned the K-12 science program that eventually became the foundation for a new district-wide science program, developed with funding form the National Science Foundation (NSF) for elementary, middle school and high school science. His background also includes eleven years of working in education as a secondary science teacher in addition to positions at BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study), Science Curriculum Implementation (SCI) as Project Director and Director of the National Academy for Curriculum Leadership (NACL). His work at NACL led into an intensive professional development and technical assistance program that aided the execution of K-12 standards-based, inquiry-oriented curriculum materials. Short holds a bachelor of science degree from Rhodes College, a masters in science education from the Peabody College for Teachers at Vanderbilt University and a doctorate in curriculum and teaching with an emphasis on educational leadership and professional development from Teachers College at Columbia University.
ABOUT CARY SNEIDER
Dr. Cary Sneider is an Associate Research Professor at Portland State University where he teaches courses in research methodology in a Masters of Science Teaching Degree program at the Center for Science Education. A consultant on STEM-related issues, his contributions have also been featured in publications such as A Framework for K-12 Science Education (National Research Council 2012), which laid the foundation for new science standards. He has also served on the writing team that is applying the Framework under the title Next Generation Science Standards. He has also served as Vice President for Educator Programs at the Museum of Science in Boston and Director of Astronomy and Physics Education at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California. His current projects include the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as “The Nation’s Report Card”and the Committee for Guiding Implementation of K-12 Engineering Education, National Academy of Engineering. Sneider holds a bachelor of arts degree form Harvard in astronomy, a secondary teaching credential from the University of California, Berkeley in science education, as well as a masters and a doctorate degree in both science education from the University of California, Berkeley.
ABOUT IT'S ABOUT TIME®
Founded in 1996, IT'S ABOUT TIME is the global leader in research-based Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curricula for K-12 and college students. Modeled on the way practicing scientists, engineers and mathematicians work, the IT'S ABOUT TIME project-based STEM solutions give educators tools to create a meaningful and joyful learning environment that deepens student engagement and problem-solving skills. This year, IAT's authentic STEM solutions have empowered over 14,000 teachers and 2 million students.
Charlie Oliver, Served Fresh Media, http://servedfreshmedia.net, 347-736-5083, [email protected]
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