iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
As many as 336 teachers and mentors from around the nation, including five Indian Americans, were named as recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM).
These awards honor the vital role that America’s teachers and mentors play in shaping the next generation of technical leaders, including scientists, engineers, explorers, and innovators, the official statement from the White House read.
The Indian American recipients are Krishnan Ranjani (Portland, OR; mathematics), Rajini Sundararaj (Jonesboro, GA; science), Anjana Iyer (Hillsborough, NJ; science), Rama Devagupta (Kennewick, WA; science), and Vivekanand Balija (Basking Ridge, NJ; science).
The official citation for Ranjini reads: “Krishnan Ranjani (she/her), who goes by “Ranjani”, began her teaching journey 15 years ago at Gilkey International Middle School in Portland, where she taught 6th grade Math and Science. She has also taught Advanced Mathematics at Health and Science School, Tualatin High School, Ida B. Wells High School, and is currently a Career and Technical Education computer science teacher at Lincoln High School, where she has spent the past eight years. Prior to teaching, Ranjani worked at Wolfram Research, a mathematical software company.
“At the end of each school year, Ranjani and her students engage in culminating activities that emphasize student presentations, agency, whimsy, humor, and community.
“Ranjani has also served as an adjunct mathematics instructor at Portland Community College. She holds certifications in Additive Manufacturing and Game Design and Development from MIT. Proficient in various programming languages and educational software, she is a lifelong learner with a strong interest in understanding how to learn and teach content effectively, always seeking to enhance her teaching methods.
“Outside of education, Ranjani is a vocalist, composer, and performer. She released an album in 2015 called ‘Cream of Portland’ featuring original compositions and covers of world music songs. Fluent in English, Hindi, and Tamil, she also has a working knowledge of Spanish and German.
“Ranjani holds a B.A. in mathematics from Reed College, a B.A. Honors, summa cum laude, in music from Lewis & Clark College, an M.S. in mathematics from the University of Illinois, and an M.A.T. from Lewis & Clark College. She also holds National Board Certification in Adolescence and Young Adulthood in Mathematics.”
For Sundararaj, it read: “Rajini Sundararaj has been a science educator for 28 years, teaching all science subjects at Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts for the past nine years; Therrell High School for four years; Langston Hughes High School for two years; and Westlake High School for one year. Her teaching career began with 12 years of experience in India and Saudi Arabia. This coming year, she will teach science for English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in grades 9-12 at South Atlanta High School.
“Rajini uses differentiated instruction, inquiry-based lab activities, and creates academically rigorous, authentic lessons tailored to individual student needs to promote equity in the classroom.
“For over a decade, Rajini has significantly uplifted her students through the Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) program, which offers K-12 teachers STEM field internships to develop relevant classroom curricula. Under her mentorship, students have excelled, winning district, state, and advancing to international science and engineering fairs. She has spearheaded a groundbreaking STEM collaboration between The Knowledge House Fellowship, Inc. and her school, providing technology education to prepare students for 21st-century careers and global citizenship.
“Rajini earned a B.S. and M.S. in physics from Bharathiar University and an Ed.S. in curriculum and instruction from Lincoln Memorial University. She is certified in physics and science (6-12) with endorsements in reading, ESOL, and gifted.
“Rajini’s awards include the 2023 K-12 STEM Community Builder, 2021 ImaginED Georgia Innovative Educator and District STAR Teacher of the Year, 2019 District Magnet and National Magnet Schools of America Region III Teacher of the Year, and GIFT Action Plan Teacher Achievement Award (2018-2021),” it said.
Iyer, according to the citation, has been an educator for 13 years at Hillsborough High School where she has been teaching inclusion and resource level chemistry. “Her commitment to inclusive science education drives her to create welcoming classrooms that integrate students of diverse cognitive abilities. She strives to provide equal opportunities for all students to succeed and foster a love of learning.
“Anjana has co-taught Chemistry with the same colleague for the last 10 years, earning recognition as the best inclusion teachers by the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education (NJCIE) in 2019. She was awarded the Governor Educator of the Year in 2022, nominated by her colleagues and students, and the Outstanding High School Chemistry Teacher of the Year by the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2018.
“Anjana utilizes an instructional model that prioritizes an organized, collaborative approach to learning, with an emphasis on sense making. She uses an inquiry-based approach to science education, encouraging students to question and explore phenomena beyond the textbook.
“Anjana has presented sessions on teaching chemistry in inclusion classrooms at several conferences, including NSTA, Chem Ed, and NJ Science Convention. She and her co-teacher are regularly invited to Princeton University’s TeacherPrep program as guest speakers. Anjana was part of the governing board of the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) and continues to work with ACS on various K–12 initiatives. She has co-published two articles for AACT.
“Anjana earned a B.S. in chemistry from Stella Maris College and an M.A.T. in special education and general education from The College of New Jersey. She is certified as a teacher of students with disabilities highly qualified in chemistry,” it said.
Devagupta has been an educator for 17 years. She has spent the last 10 years at Southridge High School teaching Biology, Honors Biology, Advanced Placement Biology, and Forensics to students of all grades, and has been an adjunct chemistry faculty at Columbia Basin College for the last 14 years. She previously taught Biology, Environmental Science, and Physical Science at Three Rivers HomeLink, and Earth Science and Physical Science at Highlands Middle School.
“Rama’s infectious passion for science and search for knowledge lead her to seek professional learning opportunities that enrich student learning. She worked at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2018 and 2019 as a Murdock Partners in Science Teacher and used the supplemental grant funds to purchase Vernier Go Direct Sensors to empower her students with data incorporation technology.
“Rama received the 2024-2025 Hutch Fellowship for Excellence in STEM Teaching from Fred Hutch Cancer Center to do research, 2024 STEM Research Grant from the Society for Science, 2024 Fund for Teachers Innovation Circle Grant, and 2023 Washington Education Association Human & Civil Rights Commission International Peace and Understanding Award.
“As a 2023 Fund for Teachers Fellow, Rama traveled to the Peruvian Amazon and learned about the Maijuna people and environmental injustices. As a 2022 National Education Association Foundation Global Learning Fellow, she focused on the United Nations’ SDGs and created lessons on climate change.
“Rama is National Board Certified in adolescent and young adult science with endorsements in biology and chemistry. She earned her B.S. in chemistry, botany, and zoology and her M.S. in chemistry from Ravishankar University. Rama has a Ph.D. in bioorganic chemistry from Texas A&M University,” the citation stated.
Balija has taught science at William Annin Middle School for the past 11 years. Prior to this, he spent six years of his 17-year tenure at Louis Pasteur Middle School, teaching life and earth science courses. He currently teaches sixth grade physical science and eighth grade earth science and STEM science, and previously taught seventh grade life science.
“Drawing on his prior background as a biochemist and geneticist, Vivekanand brings his love of STEM to his classroom. His students engage in authentic activities such as redesigning weather instruments, creating neighborhood landscape drainage models, and developing weather data sets that are directly related to their community. In addition, he is the co-founder of the Forensics Speech and Debate program at the middle school where he has served as coach for the last seven years.
“Vivekanand has a strong belief in the importance of collaboration and communication with his colleagues, presenting at numerous professional development seminars focusing on project-based learning, gender equity in the classroom, and alternative assessments. He also helped develop and participated in many outreach programs focusing on technology incorporation and online safety to involve families in the school community.
“Vivekanand has a B.S. in biological sciences, an M.S. in cell and molecular biology, and a Ph.D. in biochemistry, all earned at St. John’s University. In addition, he received an M.A. in education from the State University of New York (SUNY), Empire State. He is certified in New Jersey in biological science at all levels, in addition to certification in New York in biology education for grades 5-9,” it said.
(Left to right: Rajini Sundararaj, Rama Devagupta, Krishnan Ranjani, Anjana Iyer, and Vivekanand Balija. Photo courtesy: paemst.nsf.gov)