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GSSM’s Director of Outreach and Research Receives Alumni Award from Francis Marion University’s Biology Program

November 14, 2008

Randy LaCross, Director of Outreach and Research at the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM), recently was presented with Francis Marion University’s (FMU) Lawrence Swails Award, a distinguished alumni award named after one of FMU’s biology program co-founders.

During his more than 20 years as a science educator in South Carolina, LaCross has had the opportunity to develop curricula, create science education outreach programs, serve on numerous state and national committees, serve as a science teacher consultant, conduct presentations at state and national science conferences and teach at a variety of educational levels.

He joined GSSM in 1998 as a curriculum development specialist, responsible for creating, in collaboration with the chemical engineering department at the University of South Carolina, an instructional unit called Fuel Cells and Engineering. In 2000, he accepted the position of curriculum coordinator at GSSM, where he created and directed a middle school outreach program called Team GEAR UP, which was part of a statewide GEAR UP partnership.

In 2005, he advanced to his role as director of outreach and research at GSSM, where he is responsible for coordinating the GSSM research program, developing the new GSSM GEAR UP partnership and managing other outreach efforts.

Recently, LaCross collaborated with the GSSM Foundation to develop and submit a Toyota USA Foundation grant proposal for launching a middle school and high school outreach project called Portable Advanced Science Exploration (PASE). The proposal was accepted for funding, and PASE programming will be offered beginning in spring 2009. Prior to joining GSSM, LaCross taught high school science for nine years and was an instructor at FMU for three years.

He received his bachelor’s degree in biology and a master of education degree in secondary science from FMU. He is currently completing a Ph.D. in secondary science education at the University of South Carolina.

For more information on the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, please contact Jacqulyne Pouncey at the GSSM Foundation.