Welcome to the Science and Math Education Center
The Science and Math Education Center (SMEC) is all about well... education in the sciences and mathematics! We operate a STEM - science, technology, engineering, and math educational library and planetarium. Our library has books but also activity and project kits and ideas! The staff in SMEC has been busy with obtaining and cataloging these new resource acquisitions this past year. We help students and area teachers to find their needed resources and take your collection development suggestions too. We have worked with our SMEC Advisory Committee members on several workshops and conferences - from Girl Scout STEM leadership to professional university educators who work with preservice teaching students. Our planetarium has gotten an update in both equipment and show programming. For more see the news break and visit our planetarium webpage.
We have a dedicated crew of SMEC volunteers and if you would like to spend time with us, just drop by and find out more! This past year, our volunteers have been equally divided between the library and planetarium. In the library, they do everything from re-shelving books to working on creating an invertebrate fossil set for check-out to students and teachers. We are currently working on an archeological set for check-out as well with early people's trash - from pottery shards to spent projectile points - and more modern, 19th/20th century, "trash" including broken dishes and door knobs. SMEC volunteers have helped with collecting from a significant fossil site, follow-up with labeling and photographing this newest vertebrate fossil collection, which is being placed in a museum repository for all to study. In the planetarium, volunteers have been creating scripts and shows for live planetarium presentations. Read on to learn more of what we do and who we are...
Useful Links
Our Purpose
Search our Collection
Our Hours, Location, & Contact
Our Staff
Our Governance & Advisory Board
Our Mission & History
The Kansas Science Teacher
Special Events
Our Purpose
The Emporia State University Science and Mathematics Education Center (SMEC) serves students, faculty, and area teachers! This STEM Center includes library resources, planetarium programs, and educational outreach. We have a plethora of K-12 physical sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics resources in formats including kits for classroom use, teacher resource books, student activity books, literature books, textbooks, professional materials, assessment resources, audio-video & interactive white board DVDs.
We are committed to the improvement of pre-service and in-service preparation for teaching. These services include dissemination of curriculum materials, hands-on outreach activities, staff development, research within school districts, state-wide research, and science and mathematics curriculum development.
SMEC is supported financially with funding from donations as well as the Departments of Biology, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences as well as the The Teachers College. Our resource center is open to the ESU community as well as the greater Emporia and surrounding communities* for your use. While we are not funded by the main library, our 10,000 available items complement the University Libraries & Archives collection. This win-win situation means our resources can be searched in the Center and by using the Kellogg on-line catalog.
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- If you are not currently an ESU student, staff, or faculty, then you need to obtain a Kansas Resident Card to check out our resources. The KRC is available at ESU White Library circulation desk (see campus map for White Library or WL location). What do you need to bring? A Kansas drivers license or official Kansas photo id card and $20.00 per year. Thanks for supporting us!!
- Graphing Calculators now require a driver's license or a passport to check out for everyone!!!
Our Hours, Location, & Contact
The semester break will start for over the summer on May 13th. Over the summer, hours are yet to be decided.
| Hours: | Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm & by appointment-in summer! |
| Location: | Science Hall 177 |
| Phone: | 620-341-5636 |
| Email: | scimathc@emporia.edu |
| Mail: | Emporia State University, SMEC |
| Campus Box 4030 | |
| 1 Kellogg CR | |
| Emporia, KS 66801-5415 |
Our Staff
SMEC and Planetarium Staff for Spring Semester 2015
Back row, left to right: Lizeth Magana; Rhyan Sawyer; Susie Aber, Director.
Front row: Chris Hayen; Bryan Longwell; Sarah Noller. Christian Lollar is also on staff and is pictured below.
October-December 2014 - left to right> Chris Hayen, Lizeth Magana, Rhyan Sawyer,
Alyssa Floro, Bryan Longwell
September 2014 - Sarah Noller, Christian Lollar, Bryan Longwell
October 2013-May 2014
August-October 2013
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SMEC Director Susan Aber, PhD (620.341.5636) Lecturer, Earth Science, Emporia State University |
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Graduate Student Assistant, Earth & Physical Sciences Resource Coordinator Bryan Longwell Graduate, MS Candidate, Earth Science Emporia State University |
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Student Assistant , SMEC & Planetarium, Astronomy & Physics Resource Coordinator Courtney Barger Undergraduate, BS Candidate, Physical Science, Emporia State University |
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Student Assistant, SMEC & Planetarium, Chemistry Resource Coordinator |
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Student Assistant, LibGuides Resource Coordinator |
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Student Assistant, SMEC & Planetarium, Biology and Chemistry Research Coordinator |
Latest update 9/18/2015.