[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1004]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF GMU PROFESSOR DONNA STERLING TO 
                           SCIENCE EDUCATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 17, 2014

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the tremendous 
contributions of George Mason University Professor Donna R. Sterling, 
whose work to improve the research in and development of effective 
science and math curricula has benefitted elementary and secondary 
school students across the nation.
   Ms. Sterling is a Distinguished Service Professor and Director of 
the Center for Restructuring Education in Science and Technology at 
George Mason's College of Education and Human Development. GMU, which 
is located in the 11th Congressional District in Fairfax, Virginia, is 
now the Commonwealth's largest public university with 34,000 students, 
a full-time faculty of more than 1,800, 11 schools, and degrees in 198 
fields of study. Over the past 22 years, Ms. Sterling's research has 
been instrumental in helping to improve science teaching in elementary 
and secondary schools and higher educational institutions throughout 
the Commonwealth and across the country, while simultaneously 
increasing the profile of George Mason University.
   She has served as principal investigator for numerous teacher 
development and research grants and has authored more than 100 
articles, books, and reports. Her portfolio includes the award-winning 
``New Science Teachers' Support Network'' for provisionally-licensed 
science teachers and ``Science Camp'' for training pre-service and 
experienced teachers to conduct problem-based learning with children. 
Through the years, her research has garnered more than $50 million in 
funding support from multiple public and private sources, including the 
National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, the 
Virginia Department of Education, ExxonMobil, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, 
Micron, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and 
the Carnegie Institution of Washington.
   A recent project used her research for the basis of the Virginia 
Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement (or VISTA). The project 
received one of the largest Investing in Innovation (or i3) grants from 
the U.S. Department of Education. It also marked the largest grant in 
GMU's history and brought together six Virginia universities, the 
Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia Mathematics and Science 
Coalition, and private corporate partners to support the improvement of 
K-12 science education.
   In addition to her research work, Ms. Sterling has been an active 
member of the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition, where she has 
developed policy recommendations and white papers for improving K-12 
science education, the development of science leaders, and the 
preparation of outstanding teacher and student programs.
   She earned her Doctor of Education degree in science education from 
The George Washington University, and she completed her early research 
and career training under two noted Nobel Prize recipients--Linus 
Pauling and Melvin Calvin who between them received three Nobel prizes.
   She is regarded by her peers as a pioneer in classroom curriculum 
development to engage young students in the fields of science, 
technology, engineering, and math (or STEM). She also has served as a 
role model and mentor to generations of graduate students--particularly 
young women--by inspiring and supporting them as they pursue careers in 
teaching, research, and leadership roles in the field of STEM 
education.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the 
distinguished career of Dr. Donna Sterling and in thanking her for her 
innovative and lasting contributions to classroom instruction. Her 
ability to inspire graduate students in scientific discovery--pushing 
them to question, hypothesize, and verify new knowledge through real 
experimentation and persistence--have been a hallmark of her passion 
for science education. She continues to support an ever-expanding 
network of former students who now are inspiring the next generation of 
young women and men to unlock the mysteries and wonders of our world 
through scientific discovery.

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