Michael Nolan, a chemical engineering PhD candidate working with Mike and Jean Steffenson Professor Brent Shanks, was recently named a 2012-13 Symbi Fellow.
Symbi is Iowa’s first graduate/K-12 program partnering Iowa State University, Des Moines Public Schools and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Symbi comes from the term “symbiosis” to represent the mutually beneficial relationship between graduate fellows, like Nolan, and the middle school students he teaches.
Through the fellowship, Nolan will work with science teacher Mrs. Jacqueline Stewart from Des Moines Public Schools’ Hoyt Middle School to develop innovative and engaging science activities for middle school students. “I plan to use a card game and other activities to teach students about energy resources, renewable energy and value chains,” Nolan says.
These activities help young students gain interest in using biorenewable sources to produce plastic, Nolan’s major research interest. He spends one day per week with Mrs. Stewart’s class for the entire 2012-13 school year.
Nolan’s fellowship includes a $2,500 per-month stipend, $1,000 travel allowance (including a trip to the GK12 awardees conference in Washington, D.C.), $1,000 classroom supplies allowance, and cost-of-education allowance for fringe benefits and half of Nolan’s tuition for the 2012-13 academic year.
The Symbi Fellowship is effective June 1, 2012, through May 31, 2013. He expects to complete the Iowa State chemical engineering PhD program in May 2013.