Moorestown, N.J., June 23, 2014 – The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF) today announced the appointment of Jeffrey J. Rozelle as Director of its Teaching Fellows Program, effective May 9, 2014. The KSTF Teaching Fellows Program—the Foundation’s signature program—offers stipends, funds for professional development, grants for teaching materials, and opportunities for leadership development and mentoring for early-career STEM teachers through a comprehensive five-year Fellowship designed to build a stable, sustainable cadre of networked leading teachers, who are trained and supported as leaders from the beginning of their careers.

Jeff joined KSTF in May 2013 as a Senior Program Officer for Teacher Development. In this role, he had primary responsibility for Phase Two of the Teaching Fellowship, which supports Fellows during their third and fourth years of the program.

“Jeff has been a tremendous asset to KSTF as a Senior Program Officer, and we are grateful that his talent, experience and commitment will now serve the entire Teaching Fellows Program. I look forward to seeing what our staff and Fellows will accomplish under his leadership,” said Nicole Gillespie, Executive Director, KSTF.

“Our Teaching Fellows consistently inspire me with their innovative teaching, and their commitment to and passion for the profession. I’m amazed by the extraordinary impact they have on their local contexts, especially at such an early stage in their careers,” Rozelle commented. “They work hard to create lasting and substantial change in STEM education, and I’m honored to lead a program that invests in the development and support of a community of outstanding STEM teachers.”

Jeff began his career in the Cincinnati Public School District, where he taught science for nine years. While working with student teachers from local universities and leading district-wide professional development, he developed an interest in teacher education. In 2005, Jeff enrolled in a doctoral program in curriculum, teaching, and educational policy at Michigan State University. His dissertation focused on the ways student teachers develop a practice as they navigate teacher education and their field placements; it was awarded the 2011 Outstanding Doctoral Research Award by the National Association for Research in Science Teaching.

Immediately prior to joining KSTF, Jeff worked at Syracuse University, where he coordinated the secondary science education program and served as an Assistant Professor of science education. During his tenure at Syracuse, he served as the co-principal investigator on two grants valued at over $2 million dollars, and was published in the Journal of Teacher Education, Teaching & Teacher Education, and American Biology Teacher.

He holds a B.S. in chemistry and secondary education from the University of Cincinnati, an M.Ed. in secondary education from Miami University and a Ph.D. in curriculum, teaching and educational policy from Michigan State University. Jeff has shared his research findings at nearly 20 conferences.

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