Mary Ann Rankin, who will take over as provost Oct. 1, created a national model for training science and math teachers, called the UTeach Institute.
When Mary Ann Rankin developed her UTeach Institute, now a national model for training science and math teachers, she had one goal in mind – to engage students in learning and teach them to do the same.
Rankin, the university’s incoming provost, had the same ambition when she secured more than $800 million in private funding as dean of the University of Texas at Austin’s natural sciences college and when she served as CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative. Now, returning to a college campus, she said she is excited to apply her experience and passion beyond the fields of science, technology, mathematics and engineering.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with students in the past,” Rankin said. “That’s mainly why I wanted to come back to an academic position.”
Rankin will assume her post Oct. 1. Before becoming NMSI CEO in 2011, she spent 36 years at Texas, six as chairwoman of biological sciences school and nearly 17 years as the natural sciences dean. University President Wallace Loh said he knew he’d hired a well-connected fundraiser as the university’s second-highest ranking official, but what stood out in their first meeting was her presence.
“She’s probably the most visible national figure in the whole area of STEM education, and she’s really quite charismatic,” Loh said. “She can sell ice to Eskimos, and she can make a very dry subject like teaching science and math sparkle.”
At Texas, Rankin created highly successful programs for undergraduates, including the UTeach Institute, established in 2006, to address concerns the quality of science and math education public schools was slipping. UTeach programs now operate in 14 states nationwide and enroll more than 5,500 students.
The National Academies Press noted the program’s success in its 2007 report, “Rising above the gathering storm,” in particular applauding its high minority enrollment rate – 26 percent compared to 16 percent university-wide.
“UTeach graduates have deep disciplinary grounding, they know how to engage students in scientific inquiry, and they know how to use new technology to improve student achievement,” the report said.
Rankin also launched Texas’s Freshman Research Initiative, which allows more than 600 freshmen annually to get more deeply involved with academic research.
“When students feel that their work matters, their retention rates go from 30 percent to 80 percent,” said Rankin. “This is something we can apply to all fields, not just science and math.”
Rankin said being able to engage students with a typically dull subject is rewarding for both the professor and student.
“Students need to be able to relate what they’re doing to something big – something global.” said Rankin. “A professor can only engage students if he or she is cognizant of the students’ success and not just teaching from a book.”
One of Rankin’s first plans will be to examine data and look at how the university can improve how it uses its resources to educate students in light of ongoing financial burdens, Rankin said.
“I can’t say I know exactly what I’m going to do yet — it would be presumptuous of me to do so, but I can say that I plan to be a helping hand.”
news@umdbk.com
