From Idea to Impact: Building the STEM Teacher Pipeline - Part 2
Posted on November 2, 2026
Preparing more science teachers starts with helping students see a future at the front of the classroom. At the University of South Alabama’s College of Education and Professional Studies, Dr. Katie McCorrison, associate professor, and Dr. Susan Ferguson, associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Leadership and Teacher Education, are helping students turn that possibility into a career through the Noyce STREAM program.
STREAM stands for Science Teacher, Research, Education and Methods. The program provides a scholarship pathway for undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors to pursue an alternative master’s degree in education and prepare to teach science at the secondary level.
“The program seeks to increase the number of K-12 teachers with strong STEM content knowledge who teach in high-need school districts,” McCorrison said.
Supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, the initiative has helped 17 students earn degrees and secure science teaching positions. Its impact extends beyond South’s campus as graduates bring their subject-matter expertise and teaching skills to schools.
“The program directly impacts teacher workforce development, especially in high-need schools, both in the state of Alabama and across the United States,” McCorrison said.
This article is part of “From Ideas to Impact,” a series highlighting how more than $17 million in active grant funding supports faculty-led work across the College of Education and Professional Studies.
