-photo courtesy of BCPS-
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has named Dr. Edralin Pagarigan, coordinator of Golden Ring Middle School’s health sciences magnet program, a 2024 CDC Science Ambassador Fellow.
As a Science Ambassador Fellow, she will participate in a mandatory course from July 15–19 at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Ga. In the course, fellows will learn foundational epidemiology and public health concepts, practice using CDC lesson plans, collaborate with CDC experts to develop STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) lesson plans, and become ambassadors for teaching public health.
Fellows will also participate in special sessions with the Epidemic Intelligence Service and may visit the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center, the David J. Sencer CDC Museum, and CDC’s Laboratory Training Facility.
Following the summer course, Pagarigan and the other fellows will engage in a yearlong distance-based partnership with CDC. Activities will include virtual training on epidemiology and public health concepts and leadership and networking sessions related to teaching public health.
The fellows will pilot public health lesson plans in the classroom; present public health lesson plans at local teacher conferences or meetings; and consult on the development of public health-based resource materials for middle and high school teachers nationwide.
Pagarigan began her career as a middle school science teacher in the Philippines in 1996. After moving to the United States in 2005, she worked as a middle school science teacher or department chair in Baltimore County and Prince George’s County in Maryland as well as in Florence, Arizona.
In 2019, Pagarigan became the Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant coordinator at Golden Ring Middle School, managing implementation of the school’s health sciences magnet program. In this role, she develops curriculum, facilitates professional development, engages parents and community partners, and leads countywide meetings for middle school health sciences magnet programs.
When BCPS’ newest middle school, Nottingham, opens in fall 2024, Pagarigan will transfer there. Outside of her schools, Pagarigan has had work published in professional journals and has made presentations at conferences across the nation. She served as president (2021-2022) and past president (2022-2023) of the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association. In 2019, she was a Northrop Grumman Foundation Teacher Academy STEM Teacher Fellow and participated in professional learning opportunities led by Northrop-Grumman and the National Science Teachers Association.
Pagarigan has earned a doctorate in science education from Morgan State University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in science education from Philippine Normal University. She also earned 36 credits toward a doctorate in educational management from the same university.
