UM-Dearborn Summer STEM Teacher Academy

The Summer Teachers Academy is aimed at developing high-quality, confident, and competent engineering and engineering design teachers. As a tool to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion for students of color in urban school districts, the Summer Teacher Academy offers workshops that train educators in using design thinking/human-centered design tools to prepare high school students for university engineering education. It also provides access to resources that increase the quality of their instruction and delivery of engineering design-related topics.

This year’s summer academy will deepen partnerships with educational community partners in order to tackle the growing need for skills in Human-Centered Design and knowledge in the STEM fields. We invite High School STEM educators to participate in the Summer 2022 Academy.

Our participating teachers will

• Explore how to integrate teaching strategies
• Engage in hands-on learning studios.
• Develop classroom applications that integrate authentic and "real-world" engineering design practice and applications in their classrooms.
• Network with other educators and co-develop engineering Design lesson plans,
• Potential for in-school ED education community/goals setting
• Receive a $250 summer stipend 
• Enjoy daily light breakfast and lunch 

• 2.5 day workshop  (Aug 10-12) 
•  9am-4pm (Aug 10-11) and 9am-1pm (Aug 12) 

Christopher Burke

Chris is a science teacher who loves building things with kids and is committed to helping educators identify and incorporate the social, cultural and ecological assets of a community to empower students, allowing them to transform their community and themselves. My research focuses on place and community-based education, eco-justice, and STEM teaching and learning to promote more equitable and inclusive practices. “My hobby for the past several years has been building sets for youth theater with my daughter.”

Sarah Nesbitt

In addition to teaching digital-based art courses (digital design, photography, graphic design, and animation) and developing applied art curricula at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Sarah is in her art studio working on creative projects, managing her art practice, photographing, raising money for a dog rescue, and growing vegetables.

DeLean Tolbert Smith

DeLean is an engineering education researcher who is interested in creating more inroads into engineering for Families of Color. She loves working with children in and around the Detroit area as they learn about STEM inside and outside the classroom. When she isn’t doing engineering, you will likely find her coaching volleyball for DPSCD.

Georges Ayoub

Georges is the director of the Human-Centered Engineering Design undergraduate program. He is also a mechanical and manufacturing engineer obsessed with making stuff, discovering new techniques, and trying different and new materials. He loves sharing his passion for design and making with his students. While he is a rigorous researcher, on the weekends he enjoys baking and sharing his creations on instagram. He has lived in 4 different countries and visited more than 40.