Getting Utah’s Young Scientists Ready for College

BYU professor Rebecca Sansom was selected as a member of Utah’s State Science Education Coordinating Committee (SSECC), which works with K-12 science education throughout the state. Members represent all the major institutions of science education in Utah, including K-12 school districts, colleges and universities, and informal education centers like museums.

Sansom has participated in the committee for the last three years and was originally chosen because of her role in the Jordan School District as science specialist.  Because of her new position as an assistant teaching professor at BYU, she now plays a different role in SSECC.  “I represent the interests of higher education,” she explained, “by helping the committee think about what it means to be college-ready.” 

Sansom’s past projects with SSECC have included writing and validating sections of the high school chemistry SAGE test and contributing to the open source textbooks available for all K-12 schools in Utah.  In the future she will help draft new state chemistry standards for middle and high schools.

“A great foundation in K-12 science education is necessary for Utah students to continue to succeed and make an impact in STEM careers,” she said. “I’m grateful that I can work with some of the best science educators in the state to improve the science experience for K-12 students throughout Utah.”