The University of Alabama at Birmingham is one of five research universities awarded a grant to implement a program that will increase the number of highly trained secondary science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, teachers in the classroom.

The National Math and Science Initiative announced the expansion of the UTeach STEM teacher preparation program made possible by a $22.5 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. UTeach recruits and prepares students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics to enter careers in secondary education by enabling them to earn both a degree in their major and a teaching certification without adding time or expense to their four-year degree program. UAB joins Drexel University, Florida International University, Oklahoma State University and the University of Maryland at College Park as this year’s newest program participants.