A Personal Statement from Founder and Board President, Emily V. Wade
Dear Educators and Supporters,
The Museum Institute for Teaching Science (MITS, Inc.) was founded in 1983 by seven museum directors in Boston after I challenged them to come up with a program that would address the decrease in students’ interest in science and engineering which Dr. Paul Gray, President of MIT, and I had discussed. The concept was simple – engage teachers in inquiry-based science learning through collaborations with leading local science organizations. Beginning in 1986 MITS started with Summer Institutes for elementary school teachers taught by museum educators as a way to excite and inspire confidence in teaching science. We have grown to include many programs and services for K-12 classroom and informal educators!
The History of MITS
These original seven Boston area museum directors joined together to find a solution to the declining number of students majoring in science and engineering. Innovation had shaped America’s economic future, but a lack of interest in science and engineering careers posed a threat to that global status. Since Boston has a long history as a hub of innovation, we were already positioned in the perfect place to pool our organizations’ resources and expertise to provide high quality professional development opportunities for the people directly impacting science learning outcomes: teachers. In 2019, we changed our name from MITS to the Wade Institute for Science Education, in order to better reflect the services we offer.
We formed the Museum Institute for Teaching Science as an informal network in 1986 and incorporated the organization in 1992.
Our Reach
For over 30 years, we have provided programs and services that enable teachers to engage, from both the educator and “student” perspectives, with a variety of science content through inquiry-based activities. We designed our programs to help bring about a positive change in the way science education is taught in our elementary, middle and high school classrooms by working with educators to ensure they understand and are comfortable using hands-on, minds-on, inquiry-based pedagogy. By connecting teachers to the expertise of scientists and seasoned educational professionals from leading science organizations as well as colleges and universities throughout the state, both parties gain insights on the ever-changing landscape of science education.
I am proud of all of our accomplishments. Thank you for being a part of this collaborative education movement and for your continued support as we adapt to the ever-changing landscape of science education in Massachusetts and the United States of America.
Emily V. Wade
Founder and Board President of The Wade Institute for Science Education (formerly MITS, Inc.)