Alumnus to Aid Education Policy as Einstein Fellow

Middle school science teacher Kevin Tambara ’77/P14 has been chosen to serve as a 2012-13 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow.

The award is given to K-12 science and math teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, offering them an opportunity to provide input for future national educational policy.

Chosen from a pool of more than 200 applicants, Tambara is one of only 19 teachers nationwide to receive the honor.

Fellows will spend an academic year serving in one of four sponsoring agencies: the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), or the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). They give practical insight and “real world” classroom perspectives to policy makers and program managers who develop or manage educational programs.

Fellows receive a $6,000 monthly stipend, a cost of living allowance and allowances for relocation and professional travel.

Tambara, who teaches science at Bert Lynn Middle School in Torrance, Calif., will head to Washington, D.C. in September. There he will serve in the Computer Information Science & Engineering Directorate at the National Science Foundation.

Einstein fellows help to increase understanding, communication and cooperation between the STEM education community and legislative and executive branches of the federal government. The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program was authorized by an act of Congress in 1994. It is administered by the DOE, in partnership with the Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education and participating host agencies.