Regina Toolin, PhD, Associate Professor of STEM Education at the University of Vermont (UVM) and member of the SOCKS Education and Workforce Development Team, was named a recipient of the 2025 Joseph A. Abruscato Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship, recognizing her as an exemplar who achieves the ideals of the teacher-scholar recognition as a researcher and educator from UVM's College of Education and Social Services (CESS).

"It is an honor to receive this award," said Dr. Toolin, "especially since Joe Abruscato was a well-known science educator in CESS prior to my arrival at UVM 20 years ago!"

The award is named for Joseph A. Abruscato, who was a professor in the UVM Department of Education and a well-known scholar in science education. Given annually, it goes to a faculty member who excels in both research and scholarship. Dr. Toolin is funded by the National Science Foundation and leads the newly established Graduate Certificate in Computer Science Education, designed for educators interested in teaching CS for grades 7 to 12 and others who work in non-school settings. Aiming to educate a new generation of CS teachers and supporting diverse groups of students to become CS literate, the certificate includes five online courses for a total of 18 graduate credits. The graduate certificate is available through hybrid study and can be obtained through full-time and part-time enrollment at UVM. To learn more about the certificate, click here.