Wanda Shaffer
National Science Foundation
Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)
2000-01
California – Middle school science
Her Fellowship helped Wanda develop a better understanding of the working mode of DC and the politicians. She also learned a great deal from serving on peer review panels and attending the NSF Brown Bag Sessions to hear the updates of the awarded NSF grants. Her primary work at NSF involved working with the Presidential Awardees’ applications and assisting when they arrived for their week in DC. She says she met wonderful people from diverse areas and backgrounds and she has maintained their friendships ever since. After teaching middle school science for 38 years, Wanda became an adjunct professor of Pre–Service Teachers at Cal. State University Long Beach for two years. She also continued doing peer reviews at NSF and wrote successful grants for nonprofit organizations benefiting girls and Education. Most recently, she spent two full years serving on the county grand jury and four years as Co‐President of the League of Women Voters of 8 cities. She conducted local studies that influenced the positions of the National League of Women. Wanda says, “I am so grateful to the Triangle Coalition for this memorable opportunity! [This Fellowship] was a great addition to my resume! I better understand why it takes a long time to show results and to get responses. I had opportunities to attend Congressional Hearings, to be in the audiences of press releases and discussions of new educational research. I was exposed to the Washington Post and still read it faithfully. When educational issues are discussed I can give a viewpoint from a national level as well as the state and local concerns.”