A new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant is powering a statewide effort led by the University of Maine to address one of the state’s most persistent challenges: the shortage of highly qualified K-12 teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

With the NSF’s support through its National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program, UMaine is now recruiting exemplary educators whose expertise will help transform teacher retention and student achievement across the state.

The NSF award totals $5 million over four years, enabling UMaine researchers to recruit 10 of the state’s most accomplished high school STEM teachers and equip them to coach and support their peers, according to UMaine, in a news release. The initiative is designed to strengthen instruction for at least 200 teachers and thousands of Maine students, with a special emphasis on rural districts where educators often work in isolation.

The program is built on a simple insight: teachers who consistently ignite curiosity, raise achievement and engage students through innovative STEM teaching practices are uniquely positioned to help others do the same. Members of the Maine STEM Teachers Corps will receive annual stipends, advanced leadership training and ongoing professional development through the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) at UMaine — a national leader in integrating education research and teaching practice.

The project represents a broad collaboration between UMaine, the Maine Department of Education, Regional School Unit (RSU) 34, Maine School Administrative District 17 and the Greenville School Department, all working together to strengthen and grow Maine’s STEM educator pipeline and improve student outcomes.

“Recent projects supporting teachers in research-practice partnerships through professional learning and establishing communities of practice have underscored the significance of these communities for teachers, particularly in rural Maine,” said Franziska Peterson, assistant professor of mathematics education and member of the RiSE Center. 

“The National Science Foundation Teaching Fellowship Program at the RiSE Center initially supported early-career teachers and this community of now experienced teachers has persisted due to the value and support of their peers from across the state,” Peterson continued. “This is an example of a community of practice sustaining itself beyond the financial grant support.”

Jon Doty, assistant superintendent for RSU 34 in Old Town, is a longtime collaborator with the RiSE Center and a UMaine alumnus who earned three degrees and one advanced certificate from the university. He says the new statewide network will be especially valuable in rural districts.

“Teaching is a wonderful, meaningful profession, but there are well-known challenges in recruiting and supporting enough STEM teachers to teach Maine’s students,” said Doty, who was recently named Maine’s 2026 Assistant Superintendent of the Year. “Supporting STEM teachers through the Maine STEM Teacher Corps will be another UMaine effort that has a positive impact.”

As part of their work, members of the Maine STEM Teachers Corps will help lead the Associated Community of Teachers (ACT), a professional learning community that invites STEM educators statewide to participate in summer institutes, monthly academic-year meetings and paid collaborative work they can immediately apply in their schools.

“In many smaller, rural Maine schools someone may be the only teacher teaching certain courses, so expanding the network of support to include statewide peers with the backing of the RiSE Center will be critical,” Doty said.

Research shows that strong professional networks improve job satisfaction and retention — two critical needs as Maine confronts ongoing teacher shortages.

The leadership team for the Maine STEM Teachers Corps includes Peterson; Doty; MacKenzie Stetzer, associate professor of physics; Giovanna Guidoboni, dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing; and Catharine Biddle, associate professor of education leadership.

Educators interested in applying for the Maine STEM Teachers Corps or joining ACT can contact program coordinator Beth Byerssmall at risecenter@maine.edu.

According to UMaine, the initiative adds to a robust suite of UMaine resources supporting Maine educators, including Rural Thrive: The Rural Educator Resilience Project; STEM kits and lesson plans from the RiSE Center; and innovations across the College of Education and Human Development — home to the state’s largest educator preparation program. 

As Maine’s only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, the University of Maine advances learning and discovery through excellence and innovation. Founded in 1865 in Orono, UMaine is the state’s land, sea and space grant university with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. Our students come from all over the world and work with faculty conducting fieldwork around the globe — from the North Atlantic to the Antarctic. Located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation with UMaine Machias located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation, UMaine’s statewide mission is to foster an environment that creates tomorrow’s leaders. As the state’s flagship institution, UMaine offers nearly 200 degree programs through which students can earn bachelor’s, master’s, professional master’s and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu/about/quick-facts/ and machias.edu/about-umm/umm-facts/.