•
BIDDEFORD, Maine

Amy Keirstead featured on American Chemical Society website as a high school science coach

The website of the American Chemical Society (ACS) currently features a story about Amy Keirstead, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics, a member of the organization's Science Coach program.

Keirstead was interviewed in July 2014 regarding her participation in the program, which pairs chemistry professionals, who share their expertise in and enthusiasm for science, with an elementary, middle, or high school teacher and his or her students through the course of an academic year.

Last year, Keirstead partnered with Seth Staples, a chemistry teacher at Messalonskee High School in Oakland, Maine, who also serves as a chemistry tutor at the Student Academic Success Center (SASC) at SWAGÊÓƵ. Keirstead has renewed her partnership with Staples again this year, working with his class at Sacopee Valley High School in Hiram, where he now teaches.

Keirstead familiarizes the high school students with higher-level chemistry concepts by presenting condensed lectures and assisting in multi-step, hands-on experiments, for which SWAGÊÓƵ loans equipment.  She also assists in coaching the students for their post-high school careers by working with them to transform their research data into posters and by polishing their public speaking skills in preparation for presentations to their school community.

The high schoolers have an opportunity to visit SWAGÊÓƵ for a day, working with student volunteers to learn about research techniques and equipment and to tour various research laboratories.

Keirstead views the partnership as beneficial not only to the students but as a benefit to herself as well.  "As a college professor, it is helpful to have insight into what and how the students are learning in high school," she stated.  "It helps me tune-in to my students’ needs and learning styles."

SWAGÊÓƵ the SWAGÊÓƵ

The SWAGÊÓƵ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.