Earlier this year, the Project for Increasing Mastery of Math and Sciences (PIMMS), an initiative started in 1983 by a Wesleyan professor to enhance the quality of mathematics and science education in Connecticut, received new funding for two contracts. The contracts—for promoting energy efficiency and alternative energy curricula throughout the state—total $1.35 million in funding over the next three years.
The contracts allow PIMMS to expand beyond promoting sustainability to high school students to reach elementary and pre-school age students.
“The emphasis is moving towards teachers educating younger children because in those grades the teachers are generalists and have to teach so many subjects, but have potentially only taken minimal math and science courses,” said Director of PIMMS Mike Zebarth. “This way, we can develop the appreciation for math and science in a new aspect of education.”
The formation of PIMMS resulted from the efforts of Professor of Mathematics Robert Rosenbaum. His concern for the quality of mathematics education in Connecticut resonated with a group of math teachers and faculty from the local public schools, community colleges, and universities, and their collaboration resulted in the Project to Increase Mastery of Mathematics (PIMM) in 1979. In 1983, the organization’s scope was broadened to include the sciences, and thus PIMMS was born. More than 1,500 teachers participate in PIMMS programs annually, benefiting over 150,000 Connecticut students each year.
PIMMS also organizes professional workshops for core groups of educators in local school districts to provide them with tools to teach conservation and new energy curricula to students.
“Our primary goal is to work with teachers, first and foremost, to develop ways to help students learn more effectively,” Zebarth said.
The first contract, which provides PIMMS with $350,000 in funding each year, supports the existing eesmarts program, an energy efficiency learning initiative that is funded by Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund (CEEF). PIMMS facilitates eesmarts professional development workshops, which train teachers to emphasize conserving and recycling resources in their classes.
The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) is financing the second contract, which provides PIMMS with $100,000 each year. Through the contract, PIMMS will conduct professional workshops supplying teachers with the tools to lead an alternative energy curriculum.
“PIMMS is entirely grant-funded, relying on sources like philanthropy as well as contracts like the ones from CCEF and eesmarts,” Zebarth said.
Each contract guarantees funding for the first year, with support for the following two years listed as contingent upon performance and both receive their funding from United Illuminating Company (UI) and Connecticut Light and
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