WATERVILLE —Thomas College Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Julia Saloni recently received a Maine Space Grant Consortium grant of $5,000 to develop a database of ready-to-use STEM activities for Maine K–12 teachers.
Maine is experiencing a critical shortage of qualified STEM teachers, alongside a broader lack of educators across multiple subject areas. Because preparing new teachers requires significant time and resources, schools often face immediate challenges in delivering high-quality STEM instruction. This project addresses that gap by creating a freely accessible database of ready-to-use STEM activities, providing teachers with classroom-ready lessons while simultaneously preparing future educators with hands-on training.
This initiative begins with a collaborative pilot project led by a team of Thomas College STEM and education faculty and a Lawrence High School teacher. The team will train Thomas’ education majors (Future Teachers) to design and test STEM lessons. These activities will debut with high school students during Thomas College’s Girls in Science Day on April 10, which already has more than 90 registrants.
“This project is about meeting teachers where they are — Maine schools need high-quality STEM lessons now, not years from now. Through this Thomas College initiative, we’re supporting Maine teachers today while preparing future educators for tomorrow. By bringing these activities to life during Girls in Science Day this April, we’re creating an immediate and meaningful impact for students and educators across the state,” said Dr. Saloni.
“This project feels deeply personal to me. I know how powerful early access to STEM can be. Growing up with two science teachers as parents, I was encouraged to explore my interests and pursue opportunities that shaped my education, and career. As a graduate of Lawrence High School and now a teacher there, I see firsthand how much our students benefit from exposure to hands-on STEM experiences and strong mentorship,” said Lawrence High School science teacher Elizabeth Andrews. “I’m proud to collaborate with Thomas College on this grant opportunity to create engaging, ready-to-use STEM activities that support both current teachers and future educators. At a time when schools are facing real challenges in staffing and resources, initiatives like this help strengthen both today’s classrooms and tomorrow’s teaching workforce. I’m especially excited to see these lessons come to life during Girls in Science Day and to bring my own students to Thomas College to experience these opportunities firsthand. Helping students see what’s possible — and giving them the confidence to pursue it — is what this work is all about.”
“The Girls in Science project is exciting because it helps address some of the gender disparities we see in STEM classes and STEM fields in the U.S.,” said Associate Professor of Education Heather Batchelor. “We see girls perform equally in science/math through grade 8, but by grade 12, only 45% of girls take advanced STEM classes compared to 55% of boys. At Thomas, we want to change that narrative. By offering hands-on scientific discovery alongside relatable role models, we hope to help girls see a clear, confident pathway toward a future in science and science education.”
This material is based upon work supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through the Maine Space Grant Consortium under award number 80NSSC25M7116.