The purpose of the UH-LIFE Robert Noyce Scholarship Program at the University of Houston is to address the recruitment, preparation and retention of science majors for secondary education in all NSM subjects through Noyce scholarships and summer internships. Major goals include awarding scholarships and summer internships, developing and implementing a Biochemistry by Inquiry Course, evaluating instructional strategies for training highly qualified NSM teachers, and collaborating with Wharton County Junior College.

UH-LIFE Scholarship Program

The objective of the scholarship program is to award $12,000/year scholarships to junior and senior level Natural Science and Mathematics majors and post baccalaureate students seeking secondary teacher certification in the field of NSM through the teachHOUSTON Program.

UH-LIFE Internship Program

The goal of the internship program is to annually support 12 lower division undergraduate summer internships for a 4-week experience working with science master teachers in the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp (EMBHSSC) and/or other STEM camps. The internship program is also available to WCJC students. The EMBHSSC is a two-week, academic, residential camp organized to provide activities, experiments, projects, and field experiences for underserved students entering 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. Upon completion of the camp, the interns will review and improve the science modules and they will make suggestions for modules to use for future camps. The summer internship program will introduce students with opportunities to teaching early in their academic careers and it will serve as a recruitment tool where the interns will be future candidates for the Noyce Scholarship Program.

Collaboration with Wharton County Junior College (WCJC)

teachHOUSTON has formed a partnership with Wharton County Junior College (WCJC) whereby the first two courses, Step 1 and Step 2, will be offered at WCJC and transfer to UH through a formal articulation agreement between UH and WCJC. WCJC students have access to intense academic advising including WCJC staff advisors, UH faculty

Biochemistry By Inquiry Course

To increase the content knowledge of the Noyce scholars as well as all tH students, the Biochemistry by Inquiry course was developed and implemented by tH, COE, Master Teachers, and Biology/Chemistry faculty to engage scholars in student-centered teaching pedagogies. The courses specifically targets Biology and Chemistry instruction and is taught as a set of laboratory-based modules that provide an inquiry approach to the introduction of biology and chemistry.

Grant-funded by the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education's UH-LIFE Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Grant #1557309)