Dobbs Ferry, New York – June 11, 2018 – Meghan Marrero, Ed.D., professor of secondary science education and co-director of Mercy’s Center for STEM Education, has been named a 2018 Fulbright Scholar. Marrero is one of more than 800 U.S. citizens who will teach, conduct research and/or provide expertise abroad for the 2018-2019 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Recipients of Fulbright scholarships are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.
Marrero’s award-winning proposal was inspired by her work with FLORES, an innovative program in Mercy’s Center for STEM Education that provides opportunities for science discovery to K-2 students and their families. “We show parents and children how to do science investigations together, and we encourage them to try it at home, using simple materials and observation,” Marrero said. “The program has been very successful with area schools, and it’s especially valuable for families who face language and socio-economic barriers. I theorized that this type of program would work just as well for families in other countries.”
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and of other countries. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.
In August, Marrero will travel to Dublin, where she will spend a semester at the National College of Ireland (NCI), working with the faculty as they introduce more science and engineering subjects into the early childhood education curriculum for 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds.