Main Discipline(s):
Main Professional Societies:
Affiliation(s):
- Science Education
- Detroit Audubon
- Arboretum Detroit
- Wayne State University, College of Education
- Educational Programmer, Outdoor Adventure Center, MI Department of Natural Resources, Detroit
Looking at how science graduate students conceptualize the nature of science (NOS), what factors might influence their understanding of NOS, how their research and teaching shape their understanding of NOS and whether they bring any of that to their teaching, and how they compare with other groups (such as undergraduates, teachers and science faculty).
Working with science graduate students in a previous position and being a science educator, I wanted to get a better understanding of how science is conceptualized and taught at the post-secondary level by graduate students and how we might provide better training and professional development opportunities for them for their critical role in teaching undergraduates and promoting their interest in science.
As the theoretical framework for NOS continues to evolve, that would be an interesting avenue to pursue. My current favorite, though, is phytoremediation – using plants to help improve water, air and soil quality. I love native plants and the roles they play in our ecosystem and providing a more sustainable future, and while there is quite a bit of work in this field, I think there could be more focused on urban areas, especially in our Great Lakes watershed.
Two – Jane Goodall and Robin Wall Kimmerer. These women have broken new ground in their respective fields (animal behavior and botany) but taken it beyond just the science and into the realm of human living and being. They are truly trying to make the world a better place for all.