The Science Education Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides professional development instruction to in-service and pre-service teachers. There are four programs, and each provides opportunities for extension or graduate credit from accredited universities.

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 is a three year commitment where teachers can work up to 8 weeks each summer at LLNL attending workshops and participating in mentored research.  Teachers receive a stipend ofr each week worked, travel expenses, and funds to purchase equipment for their classrooms and attend additional education opportunities such as conferences.  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.

Edward Teller Science & Technology Symposium
LLNL in collaboration with the California State University Office of the Chancellor, hosts the Edward Teller Science Symposium. The Symposium is offered to CSU students interested in becoming science teachers. This one-day program introduces the students to a variety of professional development resources available at LLNL to support science teachers as they progress through their teaching career. During this one-day event, these CSU students will meet researchers; participate in a symposium focused on a science topic, and tour research facilities. Participants may earn 1 semester unit for attending. The symposium is held annually in the winter.

Application to attend this program

Teacher Research Academies
Teacher Research Academies (TRA) are a professional development program where middle and high school science teachers learn science content and practice using advanced scientific instrumentation with classroom activities aligned with the California Science Content Standards. The academies are offered in several content areas reflecting the "cutting-edge" science found at LLNL. This instruction provides teachers a context to understand how the content is used to solve real, large-scale problems. A team of LLNL research scientists and master science teachers develop content ensuring that the curricula and materials are accurate and that the presentation models best practices in instruction. Currently there are four fields of study:

• Fusion and Astrophysics
• Biotechnology
• Biophotonics
• Environment and Energy Technologies

Participants may earn up to 9 semester units of extension credit from CSU Chico, or 10-quarter units of graduate credit from CSU East Bay and may apply these units toward a Masters of Science in Education, curriculum option. Workshop schedules, registration and details about the Masters degree option are available online.

Science Teacher and Researcher (STAR)
The STAR program is offered through a collaborative partnership between the California State University with Department of Energy national research laboratories and the NASA Ames Research Center.

The STAR pre-service and early career science teacher summer research program will provide CSU science majors or single subject credential students/recent graduates who are planning to be 6-12th grade science teachers the opportunity to engage in paid laboratory research internships. The goals of the program are to:

• Attract undergraduate science majors to teaching careers by providing them with professional identities as scientists as well as educators
• Allow future science teachers to gain first-hand experience within applied research settings
• Cultivate increased interest and prestige in the science teaching profession to address the severe shortage of science teachers in California.
• Anchor pre-service teachers in a community of scientific practice, they will come to better understand what it means to be a scientist and a teacher of science.
• Foster inquiry-based science teaching and learning strategies and increase science interest and learning among K-12 students
• Reduce science teacher attrition
• Open the door to expanded outreach between national labs, universities and K-12 schools that will also include experiments, field trips, and guest scientists

Selected interns will spend eight weeks participating on research teams at a federal laboratory or research center in the San Francisco Bay Area. STAR interns will be paid a $4,000 stipend for the eight-week program commitment. To learn more about the 2009 application process, visit the STAR Program Information page.