MOORESTOWN, N.J., June 16, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF) announced the appointment of Robert F. Morris, Jr., Dr. Michael C. Wittmann and Dr. George M. Wohlreich to its Board of Trustees.

"Each new Trustee brings a significant depth and breadth of skills and experience to the Board," stated C. Harry Knowles, KSTF Founder and Board of Trustees Chairman. "I look forward to seeing how their leadership will help to fuel the growth of the Foundation."

Mr. Morris began his financial career at Merrill Lynch in New York. After nearly 50 years in the industry, he retired from UBS Financial Services as a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager in the Portfolio Management Program in 2012. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church of Moorestown (N.J.) and the Executive Committee of the Garden State Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Additionally, Mr. Morris is a member of the Advisory Board of the Presbyterian Historical Society. He received his education from The Haverford School and Princeton University.

Dr. Wittmann is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Maine, where he's taught for more than 15 years. From 2014–2016, he served as Chair of the Department. Dr. Wittmann is also a co-operating professor in the College of Education and Human Development. He is a founding member of the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education and is the founder and co-director of the University of Maine Physics Education Research Laboratory. Dr. Wittmann holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Duke University, and a master's degree and doctorate, both in physics from the University of Maryland.

"I see KSTF Fellows creating a tight, strong community in which the highest of standards of teaching are met and surpassed. I am constantly impressed by the passion, the dedication, and the incredible skill of the Fellows and hope to support them as they improve science and math teaching in this country," stated Dr. Wittmann.

Dr. Wohlreich is a practicing psychiatrist and a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry (Adjunct) at both the Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania Schools of Medicine. He is the inaugural incumbent of the Thomas W. Langfitt Chair as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the nation's oldest professional society. His community involvement includes serving on the Board and on the Executive Committee of the Delaware Valley Physicians Aid Society, the Eastern Pennsylvania Geriatric Society, and the Thomas Skeleton Harrison Foundation. Dr. Wohlreich holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from Swarthmore College, a master's degree in American civilization from the University of Pennsylvania, and a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his psychiatry residency at Pennsylvania Hospital and the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital, and his psychoanalytic training at the Philadelphia Association for Psychoanalysis. 

About KSTF

The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation (KSTF) was established by Janet H. and C. Harry Knowles in 1999 to increase the number of high quality high school science and mathematics teachers and ultimately, improve math and science education in the United States. The KSTF Teaching Fellows Program, the Foundation's signature program, awards exceptional young men and women with five-year, early-career Fellowships, empowering them to become primary agents of educational improvement. The KSTF community includes more than 300 Fellows who taught science, math and related subjects to nearly 30,000 high school students during the 2015–2016 academic year. For more information, visitwww.kstf.org.