Teacher Professional Development
COVID-19 Contingency Notice
SEP has opened the application link for our Summer 2021 Program. If possible, the program will run as expected and described. However, given the COVID-19 pandemic, the program format may change. This may result in the program being virtual or a hybrid of virtual and on-campus. The program’s duration may also be impacted. We will provide updates as more information becomes available closer to the program start date. For additional details about the Summer Program, please see below.
At the Fred Hutch Science Education Partnership, we provide professional development for secondary school science teachers to help broaden their understanding of life science research, enrich their pedagogical practices and support their growth as teacher-leaders. In order to borrow kits and supplies, teachers must complete the Summer SEP professional development workshop. However, all secondary science teachers are welcome to attend our school-year workshops or access our curriculum resources. To get updates on our programs and teaching resources, sign up for our mailing list here.
ON THIS PAGE
Summer Session | SEP Application Information | School Year Workshops
Learn more about the Science Education Partnership (SEP) at Fred Hutch
Summer Session
Our year-round program includes a 4-week professional development program (the Summer Session) in which participants learn molecular biology skills with colleagues from all across Washington state, work alongside scientist-mentors in their laboratories, and develop a curriculum project to share their experiences with their students.
Teaching Lab
Research Lab
Classroom Prep
Teaching Lab
Work with colleagues, lead teachers, and SEP staff learning the key concepts and techniques used in research laboratories, and participate in discussions about integrating research and biotechnology into the classroom.
SEP Application Information
Now Open: Summer 2021 Application Link
- Middle and high school science teachers from public schools, private schools or home schools are eligible to apply for the SEP.
- This year, we will accept summer professional development applicants from outside WA state. However, the KIT LOAN program is limited to teachers in WA state. Participants from outside WA may choose to skip the portion of the workshop focusing on kit use and have their participant award and credits/clock hours/PDUs reduced proportionately.
- Applications are read by SEP staff and mentor scientists.
- Participants are selected by mentor scientists; each mentor selects one to two applicants to partner with during the program.
- An estimated twenty-five teachers are selected each year to join the SEP community.
- In 2021, we will run either an all-virtual or a hybrid program, depending on Fred Hutch guidelines. Either way, the program will include professional development experiences with SEP curriculum and a week with a scientific mentor working at Fred Hutch. If we are entirely virtual, SEP participants in WA will be able to borrow kits once we can do in-person training safely.
Application Timeline
- Application closes March 31th, 2021, 11:59 pm PST
- Recommendation Form is due by April 14th, 2021, 11:59 pm PST
- Applicants will be notified of the status of their application by April 21, 2021
Program Dates
- July 12-August 6, 2021
- Opening Day workshop
- 3:30-5:30pm PST Fri, May 14, 2021 &
- 9-11:30am PST Sat, May 15, 2021
- Fall Kickoff Day on September 18, 2021
- Reflection Day on May 1, 2022
Before you apply, we recommend that you review the Preview 2021 SEP Application PDF which has a summary of the application questions. Do NOT try to fill out and send us the PDF, please use the application link above instead. The PDF is just for preview purposes.
Program Schedule
April 19, 2021: Notification of acceptance
May 15, 2021: Opening Day workshop (times TBD)
July 12-Aug 6, 2021: SEP Summer Session (times TBD)
September 18, 2021: Fall Kickoff (times TBD)
May 1, 2022: Reflection Day (times TBD)
Requirements
During the program, participants are required to:
- Keep a laboratory notebook
- Prepare a curriculum project
- Participate in program evaluation
- Commit to attending ALL scheduled days
In addition, your district must commit one day of release time, or equivalent, as evidence of support for your application.
Program Benefits
- Participants receive a $1,500 participation award for the professional development experience.
- Upon completion of all program requirements, participants may purchase five hours of graduate level credit through the University of Washington Department of Genome Sciences or fifty clock hours through WSTA.
- Ongoing access to SEP kits, resources, technical support and surplus lab supplies for WA teachers who have completed training (in person at the SEP summer session)
Hutch Access Award
The SEP Hutch Access Award provides financial support for teachers who either:
- Come from racial and ethnic backgrounds historically underrepresented in the sciences
- Serve a large (>50%) student population from such backgrounds
- Face other significant barriers to access (for example, teachers who live in areas with limited access to scientific resources or who would otherwise not be able to attend our professional development session)
We provide a minimum of two scholarships in the amount of $3,000. If you would like to be considered, please fill out the Hutch Access Award supplemental application when you apply to the program.
Program perks:
- Participants receive a $1,000 stipend for the professional development experience.
- Upon completion of all program requirements, participants may earn five hours of graduate level credit (at low cost) through the University of Washington Department of Genome Sciences or 50 clock hours through WSTA.
- Ongoing access to SEP kits, resources, technical support and surplus lab supplies.
School Year Workshops
SEP offers workshops throughout the school year that are open to all teachers, participation in SEP Summer Session is not necessary.
Upcoming Workshops
May
11
May
11
NSTA Western Region Virtual Workshop
4 - 5:30 p.m. PDT
NSTA Western Region (Disctricts XV/XVI/XVII) present the virtual workshop "Social Justice Phenomena in Science"
Host
NSTA Western Region
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Kit Loan Program and Supplies
Program participants have access to the Kit Loan Program developed and maintained by SEP. Fred Hutch and other funders provide these kits to teachers, free of cost.
These kits offer SEP teachers the opportunity to share hands-on laboratory experiences with students in their classrooms, giving students a unique chance to engage in an authentic, problem-solving approach to science using the same tools and concepts utilized by researchers.
Hutch Teacher Fellows
We offer a fellowship for secondary science educators seeking an in-depth, biomedical research experience at Fred Hutch. The fellowship provides support for two summers of research, with additional school year follow-up. While this program is designed for secondary life science teachers, it’s open to other STEM teachers as well.