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Noyce Scholar David McCollough Presents Research at National Conference

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Posted on Tuesday, April 3, 2018

As the year wraps up, so does the research of a handful of seniors finishing off their final projects before ending the semester. Senior biology major and Noyce Scholar David McCollough presented his research at the National Teacher Association Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 15-18.

His project “Prescription Description,” which he completed with senior biology major Maddison Gallucci and Dr. John Robertson, focused on integrative learning by asking student participants to investigate the biochemistry, biology, history and marketing of an assigned drug. 

“Integrative learning is meant to help students make cross curricular connections between the subject being taught and other outside topics,” McCollough said. “In Prescription Description, anatomy and physiology students were asked to learn about body systems while researching an assigned prescription medication.”

The conferenced aimed to bring science educators together from across the country to share ideas of planning and teaching engaging science lessons. Therefore, on top of presenting, McCollough also attended different sessions in which he gained ideas he plans to use in his future classroom.

As a Noyce Scholar, McCollough was granted money to attend this conference after being selected by the Society of College Science Teachers to present. The focus of the Noyce Scholar program is for students to use practicum experiences to improve the quality of secondary STEM educators in high-needs areas.  

“Attending national conferences through the Noyce Scholars Program has allowed me to dive deeper into the current trends in education by exposing me to them before we discussed them in class,” McCollough said.

Once chosen for the Noyce Scholars program, students receive $15,000 grants in return for committing to teach for two years in areas of high need. Students in the program attend national conferences both their junior and senior years and complete observations at a variety of schools in the area.

“The Noyce Scholars program has opened my eyes by allowing me to complete observations at a variety of different schools in the area,” he said. “It is very surprising how many schools in Pennsylvania are considered high-needs and how different each school is.”

McCollough plans to become a biology and anatomy high school teacher in Pennsylvania after graduation.

Written by Megan Simpson