ROCHESTER, NY—The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) recognized local educators and organizations making a difference and exciting the community about opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at the RMSC STEM Awards, presented by GW Lisk. The breakfast and awards ceremony were held on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 at the Strathallan Hotel.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello attended the awards and congratulated the recipients and finalists for helping prepare young students for the future.
“The world is changing, so the way we are educating and inspiring our kids has to change and adapt,” said Bello. “RMSC and the educators here today are grabbing that spark and encouraging young people to grow, change, and think outside of the box.”
Adam Frank, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Rochester, served as the keynote speaker for the award ceremony.
“Rochester should be celebrated for what it has done, and recognized for what it can do,” said Frank. “The power this place has in terms of STEM is remarkable. RMSC, the universities, and the tech companies we have here show that.”
Recipients of the 2020 RMSC STEM Awards presented by GW Lisk
STEM Catalyst Awards: These awards recognize area organizations or individuals that develop and encourage an environment that promotes innovation in science and technology, or that has utilized science and technology to form a lasting impact on the Greater Rochester Region. STEM Catalyst Awards are presented in the following categories: Optics/Photonics/Imaging, Sustainability/Agriculture/Food Production, and Software/Manufacturing and Technology (including coding, robotics, and gaming). The 2020 recipients for these awards are:
● STEM Catalyst recipient in the Optics/Photonics/Imaging category: Tom Battley; Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster
● STEM Catalyst recipient in the Sustainability/Agriculture/Food Production category: Impact Earth
● STEM Catalyst recipient in the Software/Manufacturing and Technology (including coding, robotics, and gaming) category: Aldon Corporation
STEM Education Awards: Presented at elementary, secondary and university levels, these awards recognize innovative teaching in STEM education. Educators and/or administrators are recognized for innovation in inspiring students to understand, appreciate, and apply STEM concepts from PreK through higher education. The 2020 recipients for these awards are:
● STEM Education recipient, PreK–6: Blaine Broughton, Enrichment Teacher, Fred W. Hill Elementary School
● STEM Education recipient, 7–12: Pathways Technology Early College High School (PTECH); Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES
● STEM Education recipient, Higher Education/Adult Education: Women In Computing (WiC); Rochester Institute of Technology
For high-resolution images and additional information, contact Felicia Swartzenberg, Communications Coordinator, RMSC, 585.271.4552 or fswartzenberg@rmsc.org.
The mission of the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) is to inspire a better future for all through curiosity, exploration, and participation in science, culture, and the natural world. RMSC includes the Science Museum, Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. Offering experiences at the Museum with more than 200 interactive exhibits, Planetarium with a 65-foot dome and Nature Center on 900 acres, the RMSC stimulates community interest in exploration. In addition, the more than 1.2 million RMSC collection items tell the story of Rochester’s past including its rich history of innovation and invention. RMSC receives significant funding from Monroe County, where it is one of the top three most visited attractions serving children and families.
For more information about RMSC, visit http://www.rmsc.org.