na Sherman Fairchild

Sherman Fairchild Funds Science Curriculum

A long-time supporter of the Gateway Institute, the Sherman Fairchild Foundation has committed more than $460,000 over a three-year period for the development and implementation of an innovative four-year science curriculum. The program will be directed by Dr. Philip Jeffery, an MD and faculty member at Brooklyn Tech. He will collaborate with other Gateway faculty at Tech and, where needed, will draw on expertise at the cooperating medical schools. The first year will be centered on a molecular biology course that integrates biology and chemistry. The second year will have AP Biology with hands-on research experiences in the DNA laboratory and computerized database searching using bioinformatics. The third year will feature AP chemistry and a research component that teaches study design, analysis and epidemiology. The fourth year will be a course in Human Anatomy and Medical Problem Solving. Each year will have a coordinated Humanities curriculum that will include ethics, major social and economic issues, global health and cultures, report writing.

In addition, a student research room will be allocated adjacent or across from the principal teaching spaces. This will enable students, working in small groups or individually, to explore, experiment and design projects. Funds from this grant, the school and the BT alumni association will support the supplies and equipment for the room.

The grant will initially support 66 entering Brooklyn Tech/Gateway students and will serve a total of of 266 students by the third year.

New science curriculum will be developed for Gateway students at Brooklyn Tech with generous funding from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation.