Undeterred by the uncertainty of the pandemic, UTSA professors Dr. Carmen Fies and Dr. Chris Packham successfully led local teachers through the San Antonio Teacher Training Astronomy Academy (SATTAA) for the third consecutive summer. The program, developed collaboratively with UTSA, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), the McDonald Observatory, the Witte, the Scobee Planetarium, and others, aims to provide high-quality professional development for teachers seeking to improve their knowledge of astronomy and enhance their teaching on associated concepts.
Packham, a professor of physics and astronomy, and Fies, an associate professor of STEM Education and Instructional Technologies, co-founded the program with a keen understanding of the long-term importance of cultivating and maintaining student interest in STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] fields. “We hit on the idea to improve our local community by using the excitement of astronomy to advance STEM education. As kids growing up, we all love to learn about dinosaurs, voyages to space, black holes, etc., so as astronomers we wanted to inspire our local teachers to give optimal classes through greater knowledge and hands-on activities,” Professor Packham said. During the two-week program teachers explore topics including the solar system, galaxies, dark matter, exo-planets and stars.
This year teachers from Edgewood, Harlandale, Northside, Northeast, San Antonio, and South San Antonio Independent School Districts, as well as from St. Mary’s Hall and St. Gerard’s High School, participated in the program and associated grant opportunity. “We were amazed by the quality of the applications received to advance astronomy in local schools, ranging from making t-shirts with the moon phases to moderate-sized telescopes,” Fies said.
The program received an annual donation by San Antonio-headquartered B.E.A.T. LLC in 2019, and for the first time this year a competitive grant program was administered for all SATTAA alumni. B.E.A.T Cybersecurity Director John Arce, a UTSA alumnus stated, “As former Roadrunners, we are delighted to be connecting with UTSA and local schools, for the good of the community.”
“The Astronomy Academy is great example of business, research institutes, higher education, and school districts coming together to support a program that ultimately impacts hundreds of local students. As San Antonio moves toward economic recovery, ensuring our students are fully engaged in STEM education will be very important for our future economic resilience,” said Lisa Marie Gomez, vice president of education and workforce development at the San Antonio Chamber.
Due to COVID-19, this year’s SATTAA took place online, and concluded with an awards ceremony on July 2nd. SATTAA will return in summer 2021.
