MTSU hosts first cohort of Midstate K-12 math, science teachers for NSF-funded LEADS orientation [+VIDEO]

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University faculty with the Tennessee STEM Education Center on campus recently hosted a daylong orientation for the first cohort of educators participating in the newly funded LEADS initiative to improve data science education and instruction in K-12 classrooms.

LEADS, which stands for Leaders in Education Advancing Data Science, is an initiative that aims to bridge the gap in educators and education by providing fully funded Ed.S. graduate degrees to specially selected math and science teachers from Midstate school districts in Bedford, Cannon, Warren and Williamson counties and Murfreesboro City Schools.
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MTSU undergrad students showcase research on ecosystems, audiology, more at state Capitol

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Edwin Walck received his thirst for education and research honestly, through his parents, Jeffrey Walck and Siti Hidayati, Middle Tennessee State University Department of Biology faculty members.
Edwin Walck, a senior Aerospace Department major with concentrations in professional pilot and flight dispatch, was among seven MTSU undergraduate student researchers and nearly 60 from nine Tennessee universities attending the annual Posters at the Capitol recently at the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville.

Hosted by MTSU and the Tennessee STEM Education Center since 2006, Posters at the Capitol showcases research being conducted by undergraduates from Memphis to Johnson City. The event exposes state legislators to the student researchers and the students to their legislators.
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23 events STEM-ulate middle, high schoolers during Regional Science Olympiad at MTSU

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Williamson County’s Page Middle School and Ravenwood High School won their respective divisions in the recent 2025 Regional Science Olympiad.
Ravenwood’s team, from Brentwood, finished ahead of Central Magnet (Murfreesboro), Hume-Fogg Academic (Nashville) and Page (Franklin), with all four advancing to the state tournament Saturday, April 5, at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Page, second-place Rossville (Clarksville), Davidson County Homeschool (Nashville), Siegel (Murfreesboro) and Smyrna advanced to the middle school state tournament April 5 in Knoxville.
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November ‘Out of the Blue’ spotlights MTSU faculty’s $1.2M grant for improving STEM teaching [+VIDEO]

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.— The November edition of Middle Tennessee State University’s “Out of the Blue” television magazine features a trio of professors who were recently awarded a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to advance research in improving the teaching of the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

Principal investigators Sarah Bleiler-Baxter, mathematical sciences professor, and Gregory Rushton, Tennessee STEM Education Center director and chemistry professor, stopped by the “Out of the Blue” set to discuss the Teaching TRIOS initiative.
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MTSU faculty host local K-12 teachers about grant to increase data science leaders in high-need school districts

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A cohort of Middle Tennessee State University faculty members recently gathered local stakeholders in wake of a $3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to recruit, retain and develop local science, technology, engineering and math, better known as STEM, teachers into data science educators and leaders in high-need school districts.

The lead principal investigator of the five-year grant project is Gregory “Greg” Rushton, director of the Tennessee STEM Education Center and chemistry professor. Rushton and other MTSU faculty and staff recently hosted local K-12 district representatives for a luncheon to discuss the goals of the initiative.
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MTSU faculty awarded $1.2M NSF grant for research on improving STEM teaching

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A trio of Middle Tennessee State University professors has been awarded a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to advance research in improving the teaching of the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

Principal investigators Sarah Bleiler-Baxter, mathematical sciences professor, Gregory Rushton, Tennessee STEM Education Center director and chemistry professor, and Grant Gardner, biology professor, are heading a research project titled “Advancing the Culture of Teaching in STEM through Diffusion of Strength-Based Reflexivity.” 
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‘Innovative’ students passionate about their STEM projects present at MTSU

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Many of them dressed for success and exhibiting research at a top level, middle and high school students from as far away as Fentress County, Tennessee, recently converged at Middle Tennessee State University to showcase their STEM exploration in science, technology, engineering and math.

Among them were seniors Ella Holtermann and Matthew Jackson from Hendersonville High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee, who developed a prosthesis for a shelter dog this year after creating a hand prosthesis for a fellow student in 2023, generating national media attention.
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MTSU STEM faculty land $1.25M NSF graqnt to mentor post-doctoral education researchers

Grant Gardner, Department of Biology professor and researcher, along with Middle Tennessee State University faculty Liz Barnes, Sarah Bleiler-Baxter, Jennifer Kaplan and Greg Rushton, recently landed a $1.25 million National Science Foundation grant to develop post-doctoral candidates into STEM-education researchers.

“We’re excited,” Gardner said. “Most active research universities have a strong population of post-doctoral scholars, and with this grant, we’re looking to both grow that population at MTSU … and study, systematically, how to train them to become successful STEM-education researchers.” 
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MTSU using $901K-plus USDA/NIFA grant to reach next-gen agriculture leaders

Middle Tennessee State University School of Agriculture faculty are part of a group collectively awarded $18.1 million by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to educate and develop tomorrow’s agricultural leaders from all communities.

MTSU faculty will receive nearly $901,400 from the USDA’s overall $262.5 million earmarked for higher education institutions to foster the next generation of diverse agricultural professionals nationwide, with MTSU using the funds to develop educational programs and opportunities for high schools and middle schools in the Metro Nashville area and across the state.
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