Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement
"I have an obligation as an astronomer—that most accessible, public facing science—to engage with the public at all levels. This program is instrumental in developing a sustainable, equitable way to do exactly that."
"Community engagement excites me, as this is an opportunity to bridge the gap between science and the public. I believe that science will have a much farther-reaching impact if the community invests and contributes to scientific advancement."
"I apply the skills I developed as a Scientific Teaching Fellow every single day of my career. No exaggeration. I was lucky enough to land a teaching job right out of graduate school, and I honestly do not believe I would have made it through the interview process if not for the WISCIENCE program."
Cora Thompson is a 2025 WISCIENCE Scientific Teaching Fellow and a graduate student in endocrinology and reproductive physiology. She previously attended UW–Stevens Point, where she majored in biology and Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her cats. What has been your favorite part of this program so far? …
Ashley Henry was a Scientific Teaching Fellow in 2021 while pursuing a PhD in botany. Today, she works at the University of Notre Dame’s Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence. She is the Program Director for Graduate and Postdoc Development, where she helps grad students and postdocs develop their teaching and prepare for the job market. …
"Being a teacher is such a valuable opportunity to participate in a student's growth. It's extremely rewarding to help students learn how to solve difficult problems on their own."
"We were constantly encouraged to reflect on what we were learning and how we could improve student learning, which helped me leave the STF program with a much deeper appreciation for pedagogy than I ever could have hoped to obtain on my own."
"The principles of scientific teaching are incredibly valuable to anyone who wishes to go into STEM education or education research."
"I have found it so valuable to learn about all of the different factors that influence students' experiences and the classroom environment, as well as hear from other fellows about how they have experienced these factors in their teaching and lives."
I've been interested in science since the day I could talk...I also knew I wanted to pursue something in the medical field, and wanted to have a career that made a difference!"