Our Projects

These are projects and resources that are directly managed by CSME.  CSME Teaching Fellowship with funding from the CSU MSTI program.  Each year, CSME supports a community of more than 70 STEM majors planning to be K-12 teachers.  Since its founding in 2008, the Fellows have performed over 7,250 hours of educational community service for local schools, nonprofits and community groups. They commit to supporting and mentoring each other in regular community gatherings.  The Fellows receive stipends to reduce the students’ need to work part-time, extra mentoring, and access to a dedicated study center.  We have also supported their winning of over $216,000 in scholarships from outside sources.  The program has increased the number of STEM teachers going to SFSU credential program, increased STEM credentials awarded, and gotten high satisfaction ratings.  The CSU Chancellor's Office calls it "a model for the state and nation." An outside evaluator praised it as "an oasis at a large state university."

• CSME Student Lounge. The lounge (located in the Annex) is a private place for students in CSME programs to study, with comfortable seating, a fridge, computers and internet access.
• CSME Annex. Multi-purpose use as office space, classroom and meeting space, and a math education resource center. Opened 2009.
• CSME Internships. In partnership with San Francisco Unified School District, the Educational Equity Initiative, and Children's Empowerment Inc.
  
• CSME Minigrants. CSME has supported a number of math and science education projects through minigrants to faculty.
• Partners as Resources to Improve Mathematics Education (PRIME). California Math Science Partnership between SFSU and SF Unified School District.  CSME, SFUSD and Lawrence Hall of Science partner to deepen math content knowledge for in-service 4th and 5th grade teachers in SFUSD through a three year sequence of 5-day summer workshops, school year meetings and special coaching.  Students of the first cohort showed increases compared to a control group in test scores in the content areas targeted.

• REvitalizing ALgebra (REAL). NSF Math Science Partnership between SFSU and five local school districts focusing on the teaching of algebra.

• SF Math Circles and Julia Robinson Math Festival.  SF Math Circles is a mathematics enrichment program for a diverse group of middle school students, open to all and targeting high-need communities like the Mission and Bayview. The Julia Robinson Math Festival is a math fair encouraging female middle school students to enjoy math and pursue related careers.

• Spacward Bound. An expedition to study astrobiology in the Mojave Desert, in partnership with NASA.
  
• STAR Internships. An eight-week summer research internship and science education program at a U.S. Department of Energy or NASA laboratory for aspiring or early career teachers.
  
• Coursework for Teachers. This project is not so glamorous, but it's important. Behind the scenes, CSME has worked to rework coursework requirements for teachers to fit the recent new standards issued by the State of California.  Currently, Mathematics has a Concentration in Math Education which certifies you as subject-matter ready to enter a credential program. Certification for Biology and Physics/Astronomy is pending. The final phase of the project will be to have Geosciences and Chemistry certified.
• The Sea Lion Bowl is the Northern California regional competition of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB). Held in March at SF State this event encourages high school students and teachers to learn more about the ocean and ocean exploration. 
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