‘Highly dedicated’ Tri-Cities teacher wins $10,000 national STEM educator award
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Southridge High School biology teacher Rama Devagupta has been named a recipient of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), among the “nation’s highest award” for K-12 STEM teaching.
Former President Joe Biden last week named Devagupta and 335 other U.S. teachers and mentors as winners. Six of those winners were from Washington state, according to OSPI.
“Reaching the pinnacle of accomplishment makes me aware that I have an elevated platform from which I can work to bring positive change in the field of education. My real work has just begun,” Devagupta said in a statement provided by Southridge High School.
Each awardee receives a certificate signed by the president, a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation and an all-expenses paid trip for an award ceremony.
Established in 1983 by Congress, the PAEMST program recognizes educators from across the country and U.S. territories for their deep knowledge of the subjects they teach, as well as their ability to enable students to thrive in those fields of study.
Honorees complete a rigorous application process to demonstrate deep content knowledge and an ability to adapt to a broad range of learners and teaching environments.
That application is then reviewed by a panel of mathematicians, scientists and educators before recommending winners to the White House.
Devagupta, a nationally recognized teacher, was named a finalist in 2023 for this award and in 2024 received the prestigious Fulbright Teacher Exchange award.
“Dr. Devagupta is a highly dedicated and passionate professional educator who has worked hard to earn this national distinction,” said Superintendent Traci Pierce in a statement.
“I have personally visited Dr. Devagupta’s classroom at Southridge High School on several occasions and even had the privilege of co-teaching a lesson with her at her invitation. I can attest to her exceptional content knowledge and dedication to improving STEM education for students. Kennewick School District is proud to call Dr. Devagupta one of our own, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to her for this prestigious award,” she continued.
Devagupta is a National Board Certified teacher who’s devoted 17 years to education. She’s taught biology, AP biology and forensics the past 10 years at Southridge High School.
She has a PhD in bio-organic chemistry from Texas A&M University. She is an artist, a freelance writer and has conducted scientific research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland. She also has taught at Columbia Basin College.
