University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno and alumna Gabrielle Lyon, BA’94, MA’94, will accept Project Exploration’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Mentoring on Jan. 6 at a White House ceremony.
Sereno and Lyon co-founded the non-profit Project Exploration as a science education organization in 1999 to make science accessible to the public―particularly minority youth and girls―through personalized experiences with science and scientists.
Project Exploration provides a new model for seizing after-school, weekend and summer opportunities to engage young people’s sense of wonder and curiosity.
Activities include interaction and collaboration with scientists and hands-on experiences and fieldwork.
“By fostering and supporting long-term relationships with students, and targeting students who may not be academically successful, Project Exploration is working to change the face of science―one student at a time,” Lyon said.
Nearly 1000 Chicago Public School middle and high school students have participated in programs over the past nine years.
Project Exploration is among 22 organizations and individuals who will receive the Science Mentoring Award, which includes $10,000 to further advance their work.
“There is no higher calling than furthering the educational advancement of our nation’s young people and encouraging and inspiring our next generation of leaders,” President Obama said last July, when the award was announced.
“These awards represent a heartfelt salute of appreciation to a remarkable group of individuals who have devoted their lives and careers to helping others, and in doing so, have helped us all.”
The award recognizes the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science or engineering and who belong to minorities that are underrepresented in those fields.
Candidates for the Presidential Mentoring Award are nominated by colleagues, administrators and students from their home institutions.
The mentoring can involve students at any grade level, from elementary through graduate school.