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April 26, 2006 -- Curry
School of Education student Katherine “Katey” Shirey
came up with a unique way to illustrate the concept of
harmonic motion: the graduate student, who has undergraduate
degrees from the University of Virginia in art as well
as physics, built a large structure of laminated, curved
plywood that rotated, shined a spotlight on it, put a projector
screen behind it, and — voila — the shadow
of the swinging sculpture illustrated sine waves. With
that kind of innovative thinking, Shirey has won a 2006
Knowles Science Teaching Foundation Fellowship.
The five-year fellowship will pay for Shirey’s tuition next year,
her second and final year in the master’s of teaching program at
the Curry School, and continuing professional development. Worth up to
$100,000, the fellowship covers the period from teacher preparation to
eligibility for tenure.
Shirey, an Arlington native, is the fourth Curry student to win the prestigious
science teaching fellowship in three years. Rachel Love and Holly Ristau, who graduate this year, and Heather Welch, who graduated last year, also won the fellowship. Applicants must go through a rigorous, multistage
process to be among the 10 to 15 students selected annually from a national
pool.
Associate professor of science education Randy Bell, who teaches science
methods, said of Shirey, “her deep conceptual understanding of physics
has allowed her to use creative approaches to teach difficult concepts
and to field students' questions confidently. Her dual major in physics
and art has provided the perfect background for our program, which emphasizes
the nature of science as a foundation upon which students can achieve scientific
literacy.”
Shirey said she came to the Curry program to learn the standards of good
teaching and different effective methods for teaching science and using
technology in the classroom.
She decided to combine teaching high school science with her passion for
art last year when she had an Aunspaugh Fellowship in the University’s
art department.
As a teaching assistant, she also pushed her sculpture students toward
being more thoughtful and intentional in making art, she said.
“In trying to illustrate physics in art, I want to communicate knowledge,” she
said. “I know I’m passionate about art. I want the students
to feel my excitement.” Shirey would like to teach underprivileged
youth, she said. “I want to reach those who might’ve given
up on school. If the same old thing hasn’t worked, maybe giving them
something new will hit home.”
The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation, established in 1999, supports
individuals and programs designed to encourage and sustain young scientists
as they dedicate their lives to teaching other young people and to becoming
leaders in the field of education. This year, more than 100 students vied
for the fellowship; 13 were awarded for science and 10 for mathematics,
according to executive director Angelo Collins.
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