National Science Teachers Association

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), founded in 1944 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is an association of science teachers in the United States and is the largest organization of science teachers worldwide. NSTA's current membership of more than 57,000 includes science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in and committed to science education. The organization's mission is "to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all."

The Association publishes a professional journal for each level of science teaching; a newspaper, NSTA Reports; and many other educational books and professional publications. Each year NSTA conducts a national conference and a series of area conferences. These events attract over 30,000 attendees annually. The Association serves as an advocate for science educators by keeping its members and the general public informed about national issues and trends in science education.

NSTA is engaged in an ongoing effort to "identify the qualities and standards of good science education," publishing its findings in the form of position statements. These position statements are developed by science educators, scientists, and other national experts in science education, and the input of NSTA's membership is solicited before final approval by the board of directors. Over 35 topics are covered, including The Nature of Science, Safety and Science Instruction, The Teaching of Evolution, Environmental education, Responsible Use of Live Animals and Dissection in the Science Classroom, Gender Equity in Science Education, and Use of the Metric System.

Science Matters is a major public awareness and engagement campaign designed to rekindle a national sense of urgency and action among schools and families about the importance of science education and science literacy. Science Matters builds on the success of the Building a Presence for Science program, first launched in 1997 as an e-networking initiative to assist teachers of science with professional development opportunities. The Building a Presence for Science network—now the Science Matters network—reaches readers in 34 states and the District of Columbia.

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