Two ABE Italy teachers in the cohort of the 2023–24 ABE Master Teacher Fellows

The ABE Program Office is excited to announce the fourth cohort of the Global ABE Master Teacher Fellowship. It was a highly competitive field of applicants from ABE sites globally. The Fellowship was designed to address the need for supporting the development of teachers who have a passion for ABE and biotechnology. Each Fellow will receive a stipend and targeted support for their own personal professional development. Fellows will meet monthly to collaborate and brainstorm on ABE pedagogy and experiences for their students.  

Fellows will have access to experts from Amgen staff and other STEM-focused organizations around the world and will set and reflect on their own goals for leadership. After the intensive 1-year program, Fellows will share their expertise and project with the ABE international community. Fellows will provide peer advice and guidance on how to teach ABE while engaging students and connecting them with real-world, real-time applications for ABE content and skills. 

This year’s Fellows represent a wide variety of ABE program sites: Australia, The Netherlands, and two teachers from ABE Italy: Chiara Garulli and Gilda Nappo.

Chiara Garulli has served as a teacher, teacher trainer, member of National Association of Science Teachers (ANISN), and coordinator of “ANISN IBSE Centre in Marche region.” She joins us from ABE Italy, where she is a member of the group IBSE-ABE integration in Amgen Biotech Experience. After achieving her doctoral degree at the University of Camerino, she won an Umberto Veronesi postdoctoral fellowship. She has published nine peer-reviewed articles.

Gilda Nappo lives near Milan. Before becoming a middle school teacher, she worked for many years as a cancer researcher and science communicator. However, she decided to quit her job for a fresh start in the classroom. She instantly fell in love with this job, and when she is not with her students, she likes to spend her time doing mindfulness meditation, walking in nature, playing with her two kids, and traveling.