STEP Nominated for Computerworld/Smithsonian Info Tech 1996 Award

Kris Stewart's email address is stewart at sdsu.edu

SDSC's Supercomputer Teacher Enhancement Program (STEP) has been nominated for the 1996 Computerworld Smithsonian Awards, which recognize innovative uses of information technology that benefit society. As part of the nomination, STEP's submission will become part of the Smithsonian Institution's Permanent Research Collection on Information, Technology and Society at the National Museum of American History.

Over a three-year period, STEP introduced more than 40 high school teachers to the tools of computational science, including the Internet, and the evolving world of information technology. In the classroom, STEP participants have shared this knowledge with thousands of students and helped hundreds of other teachers access these scientific resources. Funded by the National Science Foundation and administered jointly by the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and SDSC, STEP used a decentralized, grassroots approach to narrow the gap between state-of-the-art science and classroom experience, according to program coordinator Kris Stewart of San Diego State University and SDSC.

Established in 1989, the Computerworld Smithsonian Awards honor men and women whose visionary use of information technology produces positive social, economic, and educational change. STEP was nominated in Education and Academia, one of 10 categories. Five finalists from each category will be named in March, and the winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., June 3, 1996.

The Smithsonian's permanent collection can be viewed at the Innovation Network on the World Wide Web. This collection of previous years' nominees, finalists and winners, describes the use and impact of information technology across all areas of endeavor.

STEP Overview

Forty word summary: STEP introduced high school teachers to the tools of computational science, including the Internet, and the evolving world of information technology. In the classroom, STEP participants share this knowledge with their students and help other teachers access these scientific resources.

1. Benefits: Has your application helped those is was designed to help? How has it affected them? What are its most important benefits? What impact will it have on society? Answer One
2. The importance of Information Technology: How did information technology make this application possible? Describe any new technologies used and/or cite innovative uses of existing technology. For example, did you adapt an old software program to solve a new problem? Or did you define a problem and develop new technology to solve it? Answer Two
3. Originality: Is your application unique? Is it original? How? Is it the first, the only, the best or most effective application of its kind? How did your application evolve? What is its background? Answer Three
4. Success: Has your application achieved or exceeded its goals? Is it fully operational? How many people benefit from it? Describe future plans for the project? Answer Four
5. Difficulty: What were the most important obstacles that had to be overcome in order for your work to be successful? Technical problems? Resouces? Expertise?
   Organizational problems? Answer Five

Kris Stewart

Associate Professor

Mathematical Sciences Department, San Diego State University

Computational Science Curriculum Coordinator

San Diego Supercomputer Center

Program Coordinator

Supercomputer Teacher Enhancement Program

Faithful Worshipper of Eric Clapton