I appreciate the way Knowles values and heightens the role of the teacher by making such a substantial commitment to each Fellow. Fellows are empowered to become the educators they wish to be. They have the opportunity to develop their professional identities, further their knowledge of teaching and become school and community leaders. And in doing so, Fellows stand to positively impact math and science teaching in schools across the country.”
Takumi’s Story
Prior to joining Knowles, Takumi taught middle and high school science for Orange County Public Schools (Orlando, FL) for eight years, before becoming a district-level science specialist. Most recently, he worked with pre-service teachers and Ph.D. candidates studying in the science education program at Virginia Tech as a clinical associate professor. Takumi served as Co-PI on a National Science Foundation grant focused on empowering youth in an underserved community to fulfill their STEM potential through a robotics program. Additionally, he is a 2020 recipient of the Diggs Teaching Scholar Award. Through his work with a community-based organization, he led an after school STEM program that served youth from low-income households for nine years.
Takumi holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Washington University in Saint Louis and a doctorate in curriculum, instruction and teacher education from Michigan State University. His doctoral studies focused on science education with an emphasis on equity. He served on the GET City project that promoted the development of agency and action of youth around green energy issues in the local community. He also worked with high school students in a Youth Participatory Action Research project whereby the youth took ownership in the research of access and opportunities for science learning in their educational experiences. Through this program, the students learned to leverage research to advocate for equitable learning outcomes.
He resides in Salem, Virginia, with his partner, child and dog. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the science of gastronomy, trying to catch fish, and spending time with his family.