The Science Education Program (SEP) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides professional development instruction to in-service and pre-service teachers.

Department of Energy Academies Creating Teacher Scientists (DOE ACTS)
LLNL participates in the U. S. Department of Energy Academies Creating Teacher Scientists (DOE ACTS) teacher professional development program. This program requires a three-year commitment where teachers work up to 8 weeks each summer at LLNL attending workshops and participating in mentored research. Teachers receive a stipend for each week worked, travel expenses, and $4,000 each year to purchase equipment for their classrooms and participate in other additional professional development activities. Teachers applying to participate in DOE ACTS at LLNL can choose to work in one of the following research areas: Biotechnology, Fusion-Astrophysics, Energy Technologies & Environment. Additional details and application information are located on the DOE ACTS Website.

Edward Teller Science & Technology Symposium
LLNL in collaboration with the California State University Office of the Chancellor, and the Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESaME), host the Edward Teller Science Symposium. The Symposium is offered to CSU students interested in becoming science teachers. This one-half day program introduces students to internship opportunities at Livermore Laboratory. During this event, these CSU students will meet researchers, participate in discussions about internship opportunities funded through the CSU Science Teacher and Researcher (STAR) program, and tour LLNL research facilities. The symposium is held annually in the winter. Additional information is available at the Cal Poly CESaME web site.

Application to attend this program

Teacher Research Academies
The Teacher Research Academy (TRA) is a professional development program where middle school, high school, and community college science faculty add to their science content knowledge and skills. This instruction is offered in a continuum progressing teachers from novice to mastery in four content areas that reflect the "cutting-edge" science found at LLNL. These content areas are Fusion and Astrophysics, Biotechnology, Environment and Energy Technologies, and Biophotonics. This instruction provides teachers a context to understand how this science is used to solve real, large-scale problems.

Teams of LLNL research scientists working collaboratively with master science teachers develop the curricula and materials, and provide the instruction. This team approach ensures that the content is up-to-date and accurate, and that the presentation models best practices in instruction.

During this challenging and exciting professional development program, teachers attend hands-on workshops where they practice using advanced scientific instrumentation with classroom activities aligned with the California Science Content Standards. Many of these teachers then participate in a paid ($4000 summer stipend) mentored research work experience. Participants may earn up to 9 semester units of CSU extension credit, or 10-quarter units of graduate credit applied toward a MS in Education from CSU East Bay. Workshop schedules, registration and details about the Masters degree option are available on the TRA Website.

Science Teacher and Researcher (STAR)
LLNL is one of several federally funded research centers collaborating with CSU Cal Poly Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESaME) to provide pre-service and early-career science teachers with an eight-week-long, paid mentored research internship. This research experience encourages science majors to pursue careers in science teaching by helping them develop professional identity as both a scientists and science educator. Applications will be available on December 1, 2009. The internships begin on June 14 and end on August 7, 2010. Additional details and registration information are available on the CalPoly CESEME Website.