Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM)

Zafra M.芝加哥哥伦比亚大学教授Lerman致力于培养学生对科学的兴趣，并在“打开”少数民族学生对科学的兴趣方面取得了长足的进步。通过科学教育和科学传播研究所，Lerman博士通过使研究所成为少数民族学生的“家”，为大学社区树立了榜样。 Lerman创建了一个创新的课程，鼓励学生将他们的兴趣，优势，才能和文化背景应用到他们的科学课程中。 她建立了一个通过舞蹈教授科学的项目。 在社区“母亲Zafra”已经领导了一个计划，为家长，教师和学生的街头帮派出没西南侧（芝加哥）附近，以提高认识和能力，在科学相关的问题。 对于参加这些项目的16,000多名学生中的大多数人来说，这是他们第一次开始考虑上大学。

Zafra M. LermanColumbia College ChicagoProf. Lerman has devoted her professional career to engaging students' interest in science, and has taken great strides to "turn on" minority pupils to science. Through the Institute for Science Education and Science Communication, Dr. Lerman serves as a role model for the college community by making the Institute a "home" for minority students. Lerman has created an innovative curriculum in which students are encouraged to apply their interests, strengths, talents, and cultural backgrounds to their science coursework. She established a program of teaching science through dance. In the community "Mother Zafra" has lead a program for parents, teachers, and students of a street gang infested Southwest side (Chicago) neighborhood to increase awareness of and competence in science related matters. For most of the 16,000 plus students, who have participated in these programs, this is the first time they began thinking about attending college.