UTD Science and Mathematics Education Department

Happy Summer Solstice! ☀️The summer solstice marks the official start of astronomical summer and the longest day of the year.

It occurs when one of Earth’s poles is tilted toward the sun at its most extreme angle, and due to Earth’s tilt, this happens twice a year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice falls in June (while the Southern Hemisphere experiences the winter solstice), and in the Southern Hemisphere, it falls in December (while the Northern Hemisphere experiences the winter solstice).

Congratulations to our Spring 26 Masters of Arts of Teaching graduates! We celebrated them after graduation with a party! 🎉 We look forward to watching your next steps.

UT Dallas President Prabhas V. Moghe congratulated Dr. Stephanie Taylor BS’06 for receiving the President’s Teaching Excellence Award in Undergraduate Instruction (non-tenure-track). Taylor was one of six recipients of President’s Teaching Excellence Awards at the ninth annual Celebration of Teaching Excellence. We are so proud of you!

The SME Department MAT program was honored for their commitment to the assessment process, Excellence in Assessment: Master of Arts in Teaching in Science/Mathematics Education. Emily Hennessy accepted the award for the program at the ceremony.
The 2026 Assessment Awards ceremony celebrated this year’s awardees, which is hosted by the UT Dallas University Assessment Committee and the Office of Institutional Success and Decision Support.
The awards honor individuals and programs in academic, student affairs, administrative and academic support assessment who have adopted new processes to improve their assessment, advocated for meaningful assessment, and sustained assessment work.

UTD Zebrafish Summer Institute ~ 5 Spots Left‼

4-day hybrid PD workshop for secondary science teachers (grades 6-12) to learn how to use zebrafish to engage their students in authentic, real-world scientific investigations. Earn 24 CPE❗

Participants use hands-on inquiries to explore how to use zebrafish in their classrooms with this TEKS-aligned curriculum to teach students about concepts- such as: the stages of growth & development, interactions between organism & the environment, ecology, aquatic biology, and genetics. 🐟

🔬 Receive Classroom & Lab Supplies

🤝 Monthly Support Meetings

👥 Zebrafish Teacher Network

Get all the details at: bit.ly/UTD-ZSI or scan QR code

Thank you for supporting SME~UTeach Dallas~Physics Camp~Zebrafish Institute for Giving Day donations 2026. Your support makes a difference!

Comets Giving Days are here! 💫

The Science/Math Education Dept - UTeach Dallas is excited to participate in the 10th anniversary of this growing challenge. Your generous donations help fund the support of STEM education in our department such as professional development for local teachers, Induction support for new alumni, and Physics Camp for local students.

For more info and to donate, head to our SME Page here: https://givingday.utdallas.edu/amb/sme-uteach

It’s time to Give Back and Support STEM Education in North Texas and BEYOND. We recruit, prepare, and support excellent STEM educators and guide PK-16 and higher students toward success in formal and informal STEM educational experiences.

Please join other Comets in GIVING BACK to the UTD Science and Mathematics Education Department ~ UTeach Dallas to support all we do for STEM EDUCATION.

APRIL 7th 10:00am - 8th 6:49pm, 2026 ~ 1969 minutes

Make YOUR Donation at the link below to support 1 or ALL of OUR 3 Accounts:

https://givingday.utdallas.edu/amb/sme-uteach

STEPS TO FIND US and to CHOOSE YOUR FUND:
scroll down to choose Natural Sciences & Mathematics
- then scroll down to choose Science Mathematics Education - then click Give Now!
- On the SME Donate page - Choose the fund you want to donate to - The general SME-UTeach Dallas fund, Physics Camp, Zebrafish, or STEPP

Thank you for supporting STEM Education!