Recruitment for 2025-2026
Want to help Knox County students think like scientists?
Join Project CREDIBLE!
We invite you to join an exciting new project to empower middle and high-school teachers in our region to transform the way students engage with data in science classrooms.
Project CREDIBLE—led by education researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in collaboration with the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont—is seeking creative and forward-thinking teachers in Knox County to help pioneer new approaches to data literacy in STEM education.
What is Project CREDIBLE?
Funded by the National Science Foundation, Project CREDIBLE is a three-year initiative launching this summer to help students think critically about data and how to apply it to real-world scenarios while developing a deeper understanding of biological and environmental science.
By participating, you will gain access to innovative tools, resources, and methodologies designed to foster probabilistic thinking, place-based learning, and data-driven decision-making among students.
What’s in It for You?
Fostering curiosity and analytical skills in our students is critical to their long-term success. But it isn’t easy, and, as educators ourselves, we know there may be moments when you feel like you’re doing it alone.
Project CREDIBLE offers a unique opportunity to:
● Join a Community of Like-Minded Thinkers: Engage in monthly meetings (alternating between Zoom and in-person) to share your own insights, refine teaching strategies with other educators, and workshop fresh, new approaches to use in your classroom.
● Immerse in Hands-On Learning: Participate in a 3-day (2-night) immersive experience at the Tremont Institute, where you’ll collaborate with fellow cohort members and project leaders in hands-on workshops focused on fun, data-based, outdoor learning. This and other professional learning opportunities will be fully paid for by the project.
● Shape STEM Education in Our Region: Be a part of a first-of-its-kind initiative that will apply the same data-driven methods used successfully by businesses around the country to improve student engagement and understanding of science.
Your time and effort are valued. Because of that, teachers selected for the program will also receive a $1,000 stipend for their participation.
Who Should Apply?
Our team is looking for educators who are:
Open to new ideas
Comfortable with ambiguity
Passionate about problem-solving, experimenting, and developing new ways to engage students.
Interested in helping students explore locally scientific phenomena in outdoor learning environments
If you’ve ever wondered how to make STEM subjects more engaging or wished for better ways to equip students with data literacy skills, this project is for you.
What Will Your Students Gain?
Through Project CREDIBLE, you’ll help students engage their curiosity and develop critical thinking skills as they engage in meaningful scientific inquiries questions like, “What is kudzu, and why is it everywhere?” “Is it safe to swim in the Tennessee River?” and “What is hibernation like for black bears in the Smokies?” and discover answers together.
How to Get Involved:
We are looking for up to 20 middle and high school science teachers to join our first cohort. The application deadline is May 31, 2025. If you are interested in being part of this transformative initiative, we’d love to hear from you!
Apply here: tiny.utk.edu/credible
Together, we can reimagine how students engage with science and data, helping them become more informed, inquisitive, and empowered citizens.
We hope you’ll join us on this new adventure! Please reach out to projectcredible@utk.edu or Principal Investigator Joshua Rosenberg (jrosenb8@utk.edu), Associate Professor of STEM Education at University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Links:
Application: tiny.utk.edu/credible
Project Homepage: https://projectcredible.com
