Infosys Foundation USA, ACM and CSTA Announce Awards for Teaching Excellence in Computer Science

Albany, NY, December 7, 2017Infosys Foundation USA, ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, the world’s leading computing society, and CSTA, the Computer Science Teachers Association, are pleased to announce the 2018 CSTA / Infosys Foundation USA Awards for Teaching Excellence. The award recipients will be publicly announced at Infosys Foundation USA’s CrossRoads conference in California in May 2018. The awards will be distributed at a luncheon in conjunction with CSTA’s Annual Conference July 7-10, 2018 at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Five recipients will each receive an award of $5,000 and travel support to attend both CrossRoads and the CSTA Annual Conference.

Funding for the awards is being provided by Infosys Foundation USA. “CSTA is thrilled to be partnering with Infosys Foundation USA to provide the CSTA / Infosys Foundation USA Awards for Teaching Excellence for a second year. It is particularly gratifying to be able to recognize such exemplary computer science educators,” said Deborah Seehorn, Interim Executive Director of CSTA.

“Teachers bringing Computer Science and computational thinking to their students are the vanguard of preparing children to navigate a technology-rich world. CSTA plays a critical role as an advocate and resource for these educators,” said Kaustav Mitra, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation USA. “The 2017 awardees represented a diverse range of experience and geography yet were unified in their commitment as advocates of CS education. We are delighted to see the Awards for Teaching Excellence continue to honor teachers who inspire their students every day.”

“ACM is proud to join with CSTA and the Infosys Foundation USA in recognizing outstanding computer science educators with the Awards for Teaching Excellence,” said ACM President Vicki L. Hanson. “The computing field, and the wider society, urgently needs more talented men and women to pursue careers in teaching computer science at the K-12/pre-university level. By shining a light on model educators with this award, we not only recognize their talent and dedication, but hopefully provide examples that will inspire other computer science teachers on best practices and encourage more people to consider this rewarding career path.”

Applications and nominations for the awards became available as of December 7, 2017. The deadline to submit applications is January 22, 2018. The awards are open to K-12/pre-university computer science teachers from around the globe. For more information about the award criteria, eligibility requirements, or to apply, please visit http://www.csteachers.org/?page=2018ExcellenceAward.

About ACM

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.

About CSTA

CSTA's mission is to empower, engage and advocate for K-12 computer science teachers worldwide. CSTA is a membership organization which supports and promotes the teaching of computer science and other computing disciplines. The Association for Computing Machinery founded CSTA as part of its commitment to K-12 computer science education.

About Infosys Foundation USA

Infosys Foundation USA is focused on bridging the digital divide in America by supporting high-quality computer science education and coding skills with a particular focus on underrepresented communities. It aims to give children and young adults the skills they need to become creators, not just consumers, of technology. In pursuit of this mission, the Foundation has partnered with internationally acclaimed non-profits and institutions like Code.org, Computer Science Teachers Association, DonorsChoose.org, and the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University. In addition, Infosys Foundation USA committed a million dollars to the Infy Maker Awards to inspire makers across the U.S. to demonstrate creative excellence in making projects with genuine impact. Learn more and follow us on Twitter @InfyFoundation or Facebook.

Contact:
Jim Ormond
ACM
212-626-0505
[email protected]

Karen Wendling
CSTA
[email protected]

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