The Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI) was established in October 2018, and awarded funding in 2019 for the moonshot initiative: Scientist in Every Florida School (SEFS).
Mission: Through this free program, our mission is to build long-term collaborative relationships between teachers and scientists, better integrate current scientific research and big data into classroom lessons that adhere to Florida Sunshine State Standards and connect a scientist with every school in the state.
SEFS is one of just eight projects awarded funding through a $17 million University of Florida moonshot initiative, aimed at tackling some of society’s most urgent issues. Scientist in Every Florida School has the potential to impact nearly 2.3 million K-12 students and 1000s of teachers statewide. As the name implies, the project mission is to connect all Florida schools with scientists yearly through a variety of platforms.
Participating scientists must have a research focus related to Earth systems—air, water, land and life — which is in line with TESI’s mission to advance public understanding of environmental issues.
COVID-19 Response:
The ongoing global health pandemic has disrupted traditional classroom learning, prompting Florida K-12 teachers to quickly mobilize, rethink their curriculum and launch their virtual classrooms.
To help with this transition, the Scientist in Every Florida School program has developed a suite of digital, on-demand K-12 resources that teachers can easily deploy using their virtual teaching platform of choice. Learn more.
Notice about privacy concerns with Zoom: Our Scientist in Every Florida School team is well-trained in the best practices of using Zoom software, and can guarantee that when you schedule a virtual program through our team, your connection will be entirely secure. For more information, please read our Policy Statement Regarding Privacy Concerns with Zoom.
Program components
- K-12 teacher professional development & resources
- Scientist classroom visits (in-person & virtual)
- Facilitating teacher-scientist relationships
- COVID-19 Response: Digital On-Demand K-12 Resources
Interested in participating?
Visit our “How to Get Involved” page to learn more.
Contact
Brian Abramowitz
K-12 Education & Outreach Coordinator
Phone: 516-225-9390
Email: babramowitz@floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Stephanie Killingsworth
K-12 Education & Outreach Coordinator
Phone: 561-644-2397
Email: skillingsworth@floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Join Our Upcoming Virtual Events and Field Trips
In addition to classroom-specific scientist visits, we are also hosting a number of livestream events and field trips for your K-12 classroom to join in on throughout the school year. See what we have planned on our Upcoming Events calendar.
Scientist in Every Florida School News
“Indiana Jones of the Galaxy” Teaches Students About the Wonders of the Night Sky
The virtual "Galactic Getaway” was organized as part of a collaboration between the GEMS club and Scientist in Every Florida School.
TESI and SEFS Offer Free K-12 Resources About the Importance of Insects
Attention teachers! Check out our insect-related lessons, videos, and more for K-12 students. Resources are rooted in Sunshine State Standards.
Karen Bruening Named SEFS SuperStar Teacher of the Quarter
By participating in SEFS, the Escambia County science teacher has excelled at bringing quality science content to her students during a difficult year.
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