History

In the fall of 1998, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge empowered the Pennsylvania Department of Education to begin formulating a plan for the Governor’s Institutes and Academies as professional development opportunities for the state’s teachers from the elementary through high school grade levels. These institutes are offered through partnerships between the Department of Education and institutions of higher learning within the state. Carnegie Mellon in partnership with the Department of Education offered the first Governor’s Institute for Physical Science Educators (GIPSE) during the summer of 1999.

The GIPSE is a two-week residential institute offered in July on Carnegie Mellon’s campus in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. Full scholarships are available to up to 50 qualified teachers by submitting a completed application form. Teachers who complete the program will be awarded 4 graduate credits that contribute to Act 48 requirements.

The institute is constructed around 5 thematic areas in physical science that span systems ranging in size from the universe to the smallest elemental particles in physics. The curriculum builds from 5 keynote lectures offered by world-renowned faculty from the Mellon College of Science that are intended to expand content area knowledge. This is reinforced through participation in hands-on workshops exploring these content areas with activities adaptable to all grade levels. Field trips to local industries such as Bayer and educational partnerships such as the Pittsburgh Voyager and Asset, Inc. supplement the on-campus experiences. Participants can explore cutting-edge research areas in the physical sciences through scheduled visits to research facilities on campus. Past tours have included the Robotics Institute, the Entertainment Technology Center, the Data Systems Storage Center, the Human Computer Interaction Institute and the Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center. Discussions with colleagues and the institute faculty assist in adapting curriculum for use in the teacher’s home classroom, teaching through inquiry and tie content to the Pennsylvania State Science Standards.

	Participants solve a mystery by running agarose gels during the Seafood Forensics activity. Institute Goals, Program Highlights, and Follow-up to the Institute Photos from past Institutes ◊ 2001 ◊ 2000	History In the fall of 1998, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge empowered the Pennsylvania Department of Education to begin formulating a plan for the Governor’s Institutes and Academies as professional development opportunities for the state’s teachers from the elementary through high school grade levels. These institutes are offered through partnerships between the Department of Education and institutions of higher learning within the state. Carnegie Mellon in partnership with the Department of Education offered the first Governor’s Institute for Physical Science Educators (GIPSE) during the summer of 1999. The GIPSE is a two-week residential institute offered in July on Carnegie Mellon’s campus in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. Full scholarships are available to up to 50 qualified teachers by submitting a completed application form. Teachers who complete the program will be awarded 4 graduate credits that contribute to Act 48 requirements. The institute is constructed around 5 thematic areas in physical science that span systems ranging in size from the universe to the smallest elemental particles in physics. The curriculum builds from 5 keynote lectures offered by world-renowned faculty from the Mellon College of Science that are intended to expand content area knowledge. This is reinforced through participation in hands-on workshops exploring these content areas with activities adaptable to all grade levels. Field trips to local industries such as Bayer and educational partnerships such as the Pittsburgh Voyager and Asset, Inc. supplement the on-campus experiences. Participants can explore cutting-edge research areas in the physical sciences through scheduled visits to research facilities on campus. Past tours have included the Robotics Institute, the Entertainment Technology Center, the Data Systems Storage Center, the Human Computer Interaction Institute and the Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center. Discussions with colleagues and the institute faculty assist in adapting curriculum for use in the teacher’s home classroom, teaching through inquiry and tie content to the Pennsylvania State Science Standards.