A statement from the ASTE Leadership Team
August 15, 2016
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Over the last few months, there have been many troubling events around the globe, with several of these disasters resulting in the loss of lives and loved ones. We know that members of our Association are impacted by these atrocities, directly, indirectly and vicariously. Collectively and individually, we must continue to function in a world that is constantly in flux, dealing with the good and the bad from nature and fellow humans. We are not isolated in our environs as we acknowledge the correlations and causations in daily lives.
As educators of science, we can relate to the idea that objects and organisms are interrelated and interdependent. When it comes to the work we do in our professional lives, the interconnectedness of humanity can be easily overlooked. However, for the teachers, students, administrators, parents, children and other stakeholders with whom we interact, we must think about how we make sense of sometimes senseless events. We can support others in seeing how science can help make sense of these events. But our work must not lose the humaneness in our mission to “advance[s] practice and policy through scholarship, collaboration, and innovation in science teacher education.” We are engaging youth and adults in science, which necessitates an awareness of the person. ASTE will continue to promote science teacher education as a profession that celebrates our global tethers, while working diligently to make the world a better place for all. As ASTE members, we can promote an understanding and appreciation for our colleagues and collaborators who are facing challenges that may be beyond our individual experiences. Dr. King’s aforementioned quote suggests such an awareness. We must seek out and take advantage of every opportunity to improve society through science, no matter how difficult or insurmountable the task may seem. Our elders and ancestors expect and deserve nothing less.
2016 ASTE Leadership Team
Board Members
| President* | Malcolm B. Butler | University of Central Florida |
| President Elect* | Gillian Roehrig | University of Minnesota |
| Past President* | Lisa Martin-Hansen | California State University, Long Beach |
| Senior Board Member* | Sherri Brown | University of Louisville |
| Senior Board Member* | Michael Clough | Iowa State University |
| At large Board Member | Gil Naizer | Texas A&M University-Commerce |
| At large Board Member | Meredith Park Rogers | Indiana University, Bloomington |
| At large Board Member | David Haury | The Ohio State University |
| At large Board Member | Debi Hanuscin | University of Missouri |
| Senior Regional Representative* | Vanessa Dodo Seriki | Loyola University |
| Regional Representative | Jessica Riccio | Columbia University |
| Regional Representative | Young-Shin Park | Chosun University (Korea) |
| NSTA Director of Preservice Teacher Education | Eric Pyle | James Madison University |
* indicates membership on the Executive Committee