Regional National Science Foundation Conferences Come to Greenville

Clemson University has been awarded a $575,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to hold three regional conferences in Greenville.  Clemson University’s Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle Grades program is the recipient of a Noyce Foundation NSF grant to train math and science teachers.  The southeast regional conferences are specifically for universities that have been awarded Noyce grants.  Thirty-six universities in Virginia, Washington D.C., Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana will be invited to send faculty and students.

Dr. Lienne Medford, Associate Dean of the Graduate School and a faculty member in Teacher Education, is primary investigator for both grants.  Her office is at the University Center of Greenville, where the conferences will be held.  “The Greenville business community, which is home to many hi-tech industries, is excited about these NSF conferences and plans to be involved.  I hope that one of our featured speakers will be from one of our partner industries.”

Medford reports that Penny Noyce, Dr. Robert Noyce’s daughter, will be the keynote speaker at the conference.  Dr. Noyce is credited with inventing the micro-processor and the Noyce Scholarships are named in his honor.  “Ms. Noyce is very enthusiastic about addressing our regional scholars.  She is especially excited about Clemson, because she has just written a book on teaching middle school math and Clemson is one of the few Noyce Grants that trains middle school teachers.”  Ms. Noyce will be touring some area schools and holding workshops as well giving the keynote speech.

Clemson will also be involved in the conferences through CU-ICAR and the SimHub.

For more information about the NSF Regional Conference grants, visit http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/outreach.jsp.

University Center of Greenville, Inc.

The University Center of Greenville, Inc. is a coalition of university and community leaders dedicated to increasing access to educational opportunities for the citizens of the Upstate of South Carolina. The center offers more than 75 undergraduate and graduate degrees through Clemson, Furman, Lander, Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina State, University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina Upstate. For more information, please call 864.250.1111 or visit the website at: www.UCgreenville.org.