Chinma U.

Dr. Chinma Uche is a Mathematics and Computer Science teacher at CREC’s Academy of Aerospace and Engineering in Windsor, CT. In the early 2000s, Chinma witnessed inequity in access to Computer Science education and began working to advocate for and enable access to quality Computer Science education for all K-12 students. Chinma was a founding member of the Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association, which became a chapter of the national Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) in 2009. She served as CTCSTA chapter President from 2009-2018, a member of the CSTA Board, and a member of the K-12 Standards Task Force which define learning objectives for computer science courses. Her contributions beyond leadership include supporting teachers to bring Computer Science to their classroom as an AP Computer Science Consultant, an AP Mentor, and a Code.org facilitator for CS A and CS Fundamentals. Outside of CTCSTA, Chinma serves her state in various capacities. Her advocacy efforts led to the formation of the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Computer Science Advisory Committee and the employment of a consultant who advises the department on Computer Science. As of 2023, she serves as the Connecticut Education Association representative in the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology. Chinma’s influence at the national level through her work as co-creator of Mobile CSP, a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) which has impacted many students across the world. What continues to lead Chinma is her commitment to and passion for expanding opportunities to all populations. Through her work with the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Chinma is able to support young women through an AAUW program called Tech Savvy. She runs an annual Women In STEM-C program during Computer Science Education Week. Chinma serves on the Sheff Movement Coalition Board, which advocates for quality integrated education for all students. She is also a co-lead of ECEP Connecticut, which is focused on broadening participation in computing “by identifying and addressing the policies, pathways, and practices in state education systems that are barriers to diverse student engagement and success.” Chinma holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mathematics from University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a Ph.D. in Biomathematics from Imperial College, London. She is a certified teacher in Mathematics and also holds an Administrator license. At the university-level, Chinma was an Adjunct Professor in Computer Science at Quinnipiac University and an Adjunct Faculty of Education member at Sacred Heart University. Chinma’s current advocacy efforts, in Connecticut, include seeking resources to provide a diverse pathway, with many entry points, for K-12 students in Computer Science. Her efforts have been recognized through various awards. She is a 2015 CREC Teacher of the Year, a 2016 Connecticut Teacher of the Year semi-Finalist, a Connecticut Technology Council's 2016 Women of Innovation Award recipient for Academic Innovation and Leadership, a 2018 Lawrence W. O’Toole Teacher Leadership Award recipient and a multi-year NCWIT Affiliate Educator awardee. Three of her students have been recognized an NCWIT National Award Winners and her students continue to excel in the Computer Science and Engineering fields. Outside of Computer Science advocacy, Chinma also serves her community as a United Methodist Church clergy in the New Room Parish of the Connecticut District.