UTeach’s Kelli Allen Receives Award of Excellence

October 21, 2022

Kelli Allen, Associate Professor of Practice for the UTeach STEM teacher development program at The University of Texas at Austin, has received the Gerald Skoog Cup for Outstanding Leadership in Science Teacher Education from the Science Teachers Association of Texas (STAT). This award “is presented to a faculty or staff member at a Texas college or university who has demonstrated significant contributions to and leadership in the development of quality science education,” according to STAT.

Kelli teaches the Apprentice Teaching course, observing preservice teachers in the field and providing a variety of induction support services for new teachers. She also serves as the UTeach Professional Development Coordinator, where she has developed many of the UTeach PD courses and facilitates courses by providing personalized feedback, interacting in collaborative discussions, and assessing all work products.

“Kelli’s contributions have been integral in building the reputation of UTeach Professional Development as a place where teachers can access and learn up-to-date teaching methods that help them improve their practice, which leads to increased student engagement and learning,” said Jackie Burniske, Director for K­–12 Initiatives, UTeach Professional Development. “Kelli is passionate about preparing and supporting science teachers to meet the needs of their students through inquiry-based, personalized learning strategies, and she demonstrates her commitment every day."

Kelli has a B.S. in Biology Education an M.S. in Biology in 1998, both from Pittsburg State University in Kansas. She has 15 years of classroom teaching experience and has won numerous other awards, including the University of Texas College of Natural Sciences Teaching Excellence Award in 2019.

STAT recognizes excellence in and dedication to science education through its annual award program. Awards are given at STAT’s annual Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST).