SUNY Buffalo State, along with Erie Community College, the University at Buffalo, and the City of Buffalo, is participating in the inaugural Buffalo Public Schools Science Week, April 7–11. The week features a series of classroom presentations, professional development for teachers, presentations by Buffalo Public School students, and visits to Buffalo State and Roswell Park Cancer Institute. A centerpiece of the Buffalo State contribution to science education is participation in the $10 million Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership grant (ISEP).
On April 2, Interim President Howard Cohen and Buffalo State College Council Chair Howard Zemsky joined area dignitaries at a press conference hosted by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, who formally kicked off Science Week.
"I am pleased to reaffirm the bonds between the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Public Schools, and Buffalo State," said Cohen. "As a partner on the ISEP grant with the University at Buffalo, the Buffalo Public Schools, and the Buffalo Museum of Science, we share a commitment to provide the best science education possible to Buffalo students so that they can take advantage of the STEM careers that will be of increasing importance in the twenty-first century."
Cohen will join New York State Senator Tim Kennedy, Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Pamela Brown, and UB President Satish K. Tripathi on Monday, April 7, at 9:00 a.m. at Native American Magnet School #19, an ISEP school that also belongs to Buffalo State’s Professional Development Consortium, to kick off Science Week activities.
Buffalo State will host activities on Wednesday, April 9, from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m.
"It is our responsibility, especially as the public comprehensive college within the city, to support the Buffalo Public Schools in positive, proactive partnerships that benefit both their students and ours," said John Siskar, senior adviser for Buffalo State educational pipeline initiatives. "The collaboration among the teachers in the Buffalo Public Schools and our faculty enriches both groups of educators as well as their students."
Cohen will participate in Science Week Celebration Day on Friday, April 11, at Burgard High School. He will join UB dignitaries and ECC President Jack Quinn in addressing students. Mayor Brown will introduce Shirley Malcom, head of education and human resources programs at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Congressman Brian Higgins will offer concluding remarks.
In addition to Buffalo State’s role as a partner on the ISEP grant, its excellence in STEM teacher preparation is attested to by its selection as one of four SUNY institutions to host the New York State Master Teachers Program.
Other Buffalo State contributions to STEM education include the following:
