Teaching Environmental Education

Chong Shimray is Assistant Professor in the Department of Education in Science and Mathematics, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi. She completed her Master of Science in Life Sciences (Zoology) and Ph.D. on thrips biodiversity from the Department of Life Sciences, Manipur University. She has published several research papers in reputed journals and contributed chapters in books in the area of her research.

Dr Shimray began her career in the area of school education as Lecturer in Zoology at the Regional Institute of Education, a constituent of NCERT located in Mysore, Karnataka, where she taught a course for Bachelor of Science Education from 2004-2005. Thereafter, she joined the Department of Education in Science and Mathematics, NCERT, New Delhi in 2005 and continues to serve in the same department in the capacity of Assistant Professor till date. Dr Shimray is associated with various tasks related to school education, especially in environmental education and curricular subjects of science and biology. She has contributed in the development of various textbooks and other complementary and supplementary materials in science and biology. However, her most notable contributions are reflected in the area of environmental education where she coordinates the projects and programs undertaken by NCERT in the area, and networks with States, Union Territories, different school systems, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders. Dr Shimray has coordinated and contributed in the development of several books on environmental education in the NCERT for the upper primary to the higher secondary stages. Apart from these, she has also been associated with several training programs in environmental education for in-service teachers and teacher educators conducted by NCERT and other agencies. Her contribution in the implementation of environmental education in India has been encouraging, even as she continues to do so.

Dr Shimray also has some notable achievements to her credit. She was awarded the Junior Research Fellowship in Life Sciences in the CSIR-UGC NET examination. She was also a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship in 2009 during which she was affiliated to the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. As a Fulbright Fellow, Dr Shimray undertook a study to look into the implementation of environmental education in the schools in United States. This Fulbright experience was significant in shaping her outlook about the field of environmental education.