SENCER Center for Innovation
New England
About SCI-New England
The New England Center for Innovation (SCI-NE) might also be labeled the Northeastern SCI because it has a broad interpretation of its boundaries and includes eastern Canadian provinces. Hosted at Southern Connecticut State University, the SCI floats its conference and leadership council meetings among the various New England states. This SCI is a loose affiliation of individuals and institutions, with broad expertise among its members. Our goals include maintaining affiliation to support improved teaching and learning, individual and institutional development, and links with the community. This SCI is strong in three particular interests:
- Environmental change: Geographical, biomedical, geological, economic, environmental, cultural, and other aspects present challenges to the area. Adaptive responses call for rethinking and retooling in many aspects of society, including education, employment, and governance. The result is an increase in capacious issues and capacious responses that benefit from a SENCER approach.
- Pre-service and in-service teacher education: We embrace science teaching as an active, inquiry-based process to adequately prepare our next generation of teachers. Inter-and multi-disciplinary science education is an important task for an educated citizenry.
- Health-related issues: Emerging health problems such as obesity, new pathogens (MERCA, etc.), diabetes, etc. require new approaches to teaching and learning among all students.
About the Host Institution -
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University, located less than three miles from downtown New Haven, CT, is a flourishing community of over 11,000 students. Founded as a teachers’ college in 1893, Southern has evolved into a comprehensive university offering 116 graduate and undergraduate programs. More than 700 faculty members lead students through a wide range of studies and research specialties. An intentionally diverse university, Southern is committed to academic excellence, access, social justice, and service for the public good.
Southern has a strong commitment to be recognized as a regional center of excellence in the STEM disciplines through our teaching and research. Not only are we dedicated to providing our students with abundant learning opportunities that align with the state’s workforce needs, we are also seeking, through the Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Science, to become a regional leader for both cultivating interest and study in mathematics and the sciences and providing support and mentoring for women and under-represented groups. Of the 919 students enrolled in STEM programs, 47% are women and 28% are from under-represented groups. The Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Science oversees several initiatives, including the Pathways to Academic Excellence Scholarship program (funded by the NSF S-STEM initiative), the Southern Women in Mathematics and Science program, outreach to local K-12 students, and our active involvement in SENCER. Southern serves as host institution for SCI-NE. The SENCER ideals are embedded in the Natural World Area of Knowledge in our new Liberal Education Program as well as the revised Master of Science in Elementary Science Education program. Two of the model courses showcased on the SENCER website are courses created by SCSU faculty.
Past Symposia
New England Regional Meeting
Wheelock College (MA), October 2012
More information here
Regional Meeting
Stonehill College (MA), October 2011
Regional Meeting
Fairfield University (CT), May 2011
SCI-New England Alumni Gathering
Wheelock College (MA), September 2010
The Future We Create: Science Education for a Scientifically Literate Public
Southern Connecticut State University (CT), January 2008
SENCER Summer Institute
University of Southern Maine (ME), August 2007
SENCER New England Meeting
Springfield College (MA), January 2007
More Information
Recent Events
Regional Meeting
May 4, 2013
Southern Maine Community College
Click here for more information
New England
Co-Directors
Dr. DonnaJean Fredeen
Dean of the College of Arts
& Sciences, Southern Connecticut State University
fredeend1@southernct.edu
Dr. Rob Sanford
Chair of the Department of Environmental Science, University of Southern Maine
rsanford@usm.maine.edu
Leadership Council
Dr. Vincent Breslin
Southern Connecticut State University
Dr. Ellen Faszewski
Wheelock College
Dr. Brian Hagenbuch
Hartwick College
Dr. Sarah Kenick
University of New Hampshire Manchester
Dr. Bob Keuch
University of Southern Maine
Dr. Samantha Langley-Turnbaugh
University of Southern Maine
Dr. Susan Mooney
Stonehill College
Dr. David Morimoto
Lesley University
Dr. Fred Rogers
Franklin Pierce University
Dr. Kraig Steffen
Fairfield University
Dr. Barbara Tewksbury
Hamilton College
Dr. Adrienne Wootters
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts