Science Education Doctoral Students
2023-2024
Regina Ayala Chavez
My topics of interest are the creation of meaningful knowledge and the design of programs within informal education about climate change.
Robin Bulleri
Robin’s research interests include examining the various contexts that influence science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge, as well as professional development, and teacher questioning strategies.
Lynn Chesnut
My research interests include barriers to scientific literacy, social justice in science education, and environmental justice.
Brayan Díaz
Brayan is a Chilean Fulbright Scholar interested in Social Networks Analysis, Online/Digital Education, Engineering Education, and how to evaluate and improve students’ participation in highly multidisciplinary environments.
Brent Eubanks
My current research interests revolve around rural schools and communities, as well as teacher preparation.
Tanzimul Ferdous
Dana’s research interests include investigating the impact of teacher professional development on secondary STEM teachers’ incorporation of current and emerging environmental science issues into construction.
Amanda Hall
Research interests include the relationships between science teachers’ discipline-specific self-efficacy, overall epistemological beliefs, and pedagogical decisions about including inquiry-based practices.
Tyler Harper-Gampp
Exploring the implementation of virtual reality in STEM education.
Kimberly Ideus
Research and career interests are in Science Education teaching and inspiring drive and curiosity in pre-service and in-service teachers.
Mwenda O. Kudumu
Mwenda is interested in popularizing science and technology in Black communities through increased involvement with informal science education institutions.
Joey D. Marion Jr.
A physical therapist and educator with research interests that include postsecondary anatomy and physiology education, teacher epistemological beliefs, and student perceptions.
Katlyn May
I am interested in how people learn about and understand the environment’s impacts on human health, and how to advance environmental health literacy.
Shana McAlexander
My current research investigates the impacts of community partnerships (industry, government, and university) on STEM career interest and awareness.
Katherine McCance
Research interests include professional development for postsecondary science instructors, and career and STEM interests of underserved students.
Amber Meeks
Amber’s research interests are teaching and learning in K-16 life science classrooms, student learning through tangible landscapes, and neurodivergence in STEM learning.
Julianna Nieuwsma
My research interests include learning and teaching science in both non-formal and formal settings.
Aparajita Rajwade
Understanding positive impacts of Environmental Education on children from underprivileged, disadvantaged communities. Learning to use different assessment methodologies to analyze these impacts.
Emma Refvem
understanding science teaching career aspirations, the development of science and teaching identities, and how informal science spaces can influence both.
Melissa Schug
Melissa’s research interests center around researching strategies for implementing environmental literacy K-12 in informal and formal settings; with a focus on equity of access to environmental learning opportunities.
Jennifer Sollinger
Research interests include improving the quality of undergraduate science education through pedagogy and research. Topics can range from online learning, classroom performance, self-determination theory, and Situated Expectancy Value Theory.
Madeline Stallard
Madeline’s research interests include K-12 science education, teacher preparation and professional development, and informal STEM Education.
Stephanie Teeter
Stephanie is interested in the intersection of informal science education and science communication. Her research centers on improving scientists’ public engagement efforts.
Ana-Maria Topliceanu
My research interest is in secondary science teacher preparation.
Rebecca Ward
Research interests: weather and climate hazards education in formal and informal contexts; risk perceptions of these hazards; and citizen science.
Minnie Webster
Assessing pedagogical approaches to educational labs in undergraduate biology education with a focus on the impact on underprivileged or disadvantaged groups, particularly transfer students.
Gary W. Wright
My research interests include supporting science teachers to embrace gender and sexual diversity-inclusive teaching in their classrooms.