Press Release

Space Coast Community Honors Brevard County Exemplary Science Teachers

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Each year, the Space Coast Science Education Alliance (SCSEA) honors the top science teachers in Brevard County. The Exemplary Science Teacher Award is given in recognition of teachers who go above and beyond to foster a love of learning and develop science literacy among their students. This year, four teachers received the distinguished award.

“It is a true honor to celebrate four of the most dedicated and talented science teachers in Brevard County,” says Kevin Smith, president, SCSEA. “We are grateful for their contributions and the opportunity to recognize their hard work.”

The 2024 Exemplary Science Teacher Award winners are:

  •  Elizabeth Youngs, Viera High School
  • Nicole Nelson, South Lake Elementary School
  • Alexandria Wicker, DeLaura Middle School
  • Kayla Wildenthaler, Mila Elementary School
Photo of award winners holding their gifts in front of sign.
(Left to right) Alexandria Wicker, DeLaura Middle; Elizabeth Youngs, Viera High (Hall of Fame Inductee); Kayla Wildenthaler, Mila Elementary; Nicole Nelson, South Lake Elementary. Photo credit: Sherri Shields

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UCF Mechanical Engineering Student Receives FEWC’s Inaugural Scholarship

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The Florida Energy Workforce Consortium launched a new scholarship this year promoting careers in energy. Timothy Gallagher, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Central Florida, is one of two recipients of this inaugural award. Each recipient received a check for $2000 to further their goal of working in the energy industry.

Monica Marlow, FEWC Board Member and Finance Chair, presents scholarship check to Timothy Gallagher, UCF engineering student and FSEC employee.
Monica Marlow, FEWC Board Member, presents scholarship check to Timothy Gallagher, UCF engineering student and FSEC employee. Photo: Antoine Hart

“We are proud to be able to offer the scholarships to the students who plan the careers in energy sector as another way of supporting energy workforce development,” said Olec Andrić, Education Chair at Florida Energy Workforce Consortium. “We are looking forward to support Timothy Gallagher’s growth at UCF and a successful start of his energy career.” Read more

Space Coast Community Celebrates Its 25th Year Recognizing Exemplary Science Teachers

Sherri Shields Awards, Energy News, Feature Story, K-12 Education, Press Release 0 Comment

Six outstanding science teachers received the distinguished Exemplary Science Teacher Award from the Space Coast Science Education Alliance (SCSEA) last Space Coast Science Education Alliance SCSEA logoweek at a dinner honoring their achievement. The award is given in recognition of Brevard County teachers who go above and beyond to foster a love of learning and develop science literacy among their students.  

“When SCSEA started this program 25 years ago, it was to encourage exemplary science teachers to keep up their great work, and for the community to say thank you for the sacrifices that teachers and their families make. That goal remains the same,” said Susan Schleith, SCSEA treasurer and FSEC educator. “Our outstanding science teachers are the key reason Brevard is among the top Florida school districts in science education.”       

The dinner was hosted by UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center®, where FSEC Deputy Director, Philip Fairey, addressed the teachers with some notable remarks. “The scientific method is rigorous—requiring defensible evidence-based results. Science is not a belief as some claim. Rather, it is a method of discovery that has significantly improved human existence over time. And this is what you do—you teach our children what science is and why it is so important.”

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New Tool Calculates Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Buildings

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RESNET’s new tool is called the CO2e Rating Index and is the first of its kind.

A first-of-its-kind tool that UCF’s FSEC Energy Research Center helped develop can calculate how much carbon dioxide buildings and homes produce. Image credit: Adobe Stock

A building science expert with the FSEC Energy Research Center is part of a team that recently developed a first-of-its-kind tool that can calculate how much carbon dioxide buildings and homes produce.

“Climate change is a real problem, and the leading cause of it is carbon dioxide emissions,” says Philip Fairey, Deputy Director of FSEC, Florida’s premier energy research center at the University of Central Florida. “While the auto industry has made great strides in reducing carbon emissions from vehicles, the most well-known emitter of CO2, many people don’t know that buildings themselves are responsible for about 35% of greenhouse gas emissions due to burning fossil fuels for power, heating and cooling.”

Fairey is a board member of the Residential Energy Services Network, or RESNET, which created the tool. RESNET is a not-for-profit organization founded to develop a national market for home energy efficiency.

“With the nation’s climate goal of reducing U.S. emissions by half by the year 2030, it’s vital to have measurement tools to determine what causes these emissions and how to reduce them,” Fairey says. “That’s where RESNET comes in.”

RESNET’s new tool is called the CO2e Rating Index and is the first of its kind.

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FSEC EARNS 2022 ENERGY STAR® MARKET LEADER AWARD

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COCOA, FL, June 30, 2022 – FSEC Energy Research Center at the University of Central Florida is proud to announce that it has earned a 2022 ENERGY STAR® Market Leader Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in recognition of its contribution to verifying energy-efficient new homes that have earned ENERGY STAR certification. ENERGY STAR certified homes are at least 10% more energy efficient than those built to code and achieve a 20% improvement on average while providing homeowners with better quality, performance, and comfort.

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