Barbara A. Crawford, Ph.D., Professor
Department of Mathematics and Science Education – University of Georgia
Email: barbarac@georgia.edu

Dr. Barbara Crawford is the Director of the Fossil Finders Project.  She received a Ph.D. in Science Education in 1996 from the University of Michigan, a M.S. in Biology, and a B.S. in Microbiology from The University of Michigan. In addition to having nationally recognized expertise in teacher education research, Dr. Crawford has over 16 years of classroom teacher experience. Her research agenda includes investigating teachers’ and students’ understandings of scientific inquiry, the nature of science, models and modeling, and inquiry-based pedagogy. Professor Crawford was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST), and served as chair of the NARST Publications Advisory Committee and Editor of the E-NARST News. Professor Crawford’s recent findings have appeared in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, International Journal of Science Education, Science Education, Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, Research in Science Education, and the Journal of Science Teacher Education. Professor Crawford teaches courses in teaching and learning science, mathematics, and agriculture science.

Warren Allmon, Ph.D, Director, Palentological Research Institution
Email: wda1@cornell.edu

Dr. Allmon received his PhD in evolutionary paleobiology at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University in 1988. Allmon has been Director of PRI for the past 15 years and Ross has been Director of Education at PRI for the past 10 years. Allmon and Ross have founded the education and exhibits program at PRI manifested in a major new natural history exhibits and education facility, the Museum of the Earth, and in a wide variety of educational programming from local to national (Allmon, 2007b). Allmon has an active research program in evolutionary paleobiology (e.g., Allmon, 2007a, Allmon & Harries, 2007). Allmon has also become known for his work in evolution education in a variety of contexts, including especially a PRI-Cornell partnership in evolution education centered around “Darwin Day” (http://www.priweb.org/darwinday.html), his promotion of training of museum docents to interact with the public (e.g., http://www.priweb.org/ed/Evolution/evolution.htm), and related K-12 teacher workshops.

Robert Ross, Ph. D., Associate Director for Outreach, Palentological Research Institution Email: rmr16@cornell.edu

Dr. Ross received his PhD in evolutionary paleobiology at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University in 1990. Since then he has been active in promoting the sort of student-scientist partnerships described in this proposal (e.g., Ross & Harnik, 2003), including overseeing the design and growth of the “Devonian Seas” project, the progenitor of the Fossil Finders project described
in this proposal (.e.g, Harnik & Ross, 2003b). He has been active in promoting inquiry-based Earth system K-12 education and in helping teachers inquiry-based analysis of “the field” into the classroom (e.g., Ross et al., 2006).

Staff:

Daniel K Capps (Dan’s website)
dkc39@cornell.edu

Dan is an Assistant Professor of Science Education at the University of Maine. He received his PhD in Learning, Teaching, & Social Policy at Cornell University. He has a masters degree in geology and was a classroom teacher in New York State before beginning his PhD. He studied the Fossil Finders Project from the perspective of how teacher professional development influenced teacher knowledge, views, and classroom practice with respect to scientific inquiry and nature of science.

 

 

Maya Patel
mrp14@cornell.edu

Maya is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Education at Cornell University.  After receiving her M.S. in Entomology, Maya taught undergraduate biology for several years before returning to school to pursue her PhD in science education.  For her dissertation, Maya is investigating student learning through participation in undergraduate research experiences.  She brings to the Fossil Finders project an interest in understanding what students (including teachers) learn about inquiry and NOS as they carry out their own investigations of authentic scientific questions.

 

Xenia Meyer
xenia.meyer@cornell.edu

Xenia Meyer is a graduate student in the Department of Education at Cornell University. She is studying the Fossil Finders Project in order to understand how using inquiry-based teaching methods enhance the education of underrepresented student groups and English language learners.

 

Trisha Smrecak
smrecak@museumoftheearth.org

Trisha Smrecak is the Fossil Finders Project Manager, concerned with collecting, database, and analysis logistics. She works as a paleontologist at the Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth.

 

 

 

Ayelet Baram-Tsabari
ab876@cornell.edu

Dr. Baram-Tsabari is a visiting scholar from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, where she is a science education researcher. One of her research focuses is looking at students interests in science and trying to connect what they need to learn to what they actually want to learn. She sees “Fossil Finders” as an opportunity to learn what students choose to ask and peruse when given the opportunity to engage in authentic science.

 

 

Dongmei Zhang

Dongmei@uga.edu

Dongmei Zhang is a doctoral student in the Department of Mathematics and Science Education at University of Georgia. She comes from China. She received her Mater degree of Physics Education in Shanghai Normal University. She has been a high school physics teacher for eight years in China. She has studied interdisciplinary science education for two years. She is also interested in how to help ELL student learn science and how to help prospective teacher develop their Pedagogical Design Capacity.

 

 

Ryan Nixon

rynixon@uga.edu

Ryan is a doctoral student is Science Education at the University of Georgia. He has a degree in Physics Teaching and taught eighth grade science. He is particularly interested helping students learn science by doing science and in learning what it takes to help teachers teach in this way.

Laura Schneider:  laurasch@uga.edu

Laura Schneider is a doctoral student at the University of Georgia studying science education.  She is a research assistant on the Fossil Finders Project working on developing curriculum that aligns with scientific practices. Laura has a M.S. in Earth Science Education and B.S. in Geology from Eastern Michigan University and a B.A. in Biology from Oakland University.  Working with prospective teachers is something that she loves; she also enjoys studying and teaching Earth science.

Click here for a group roster and photos of our 2008 summer professional development.

Advisory Board:

Dr. Richard Duschl
Dr. Richard Duschl is the Waterbury Chaired Professor of Education at Penn State University, has expertise in informal science education and earth science education. One focus of his research examines how the history and philosophy of science can be applied to science education. A second focus of his
research is the design of instructional sequences that promote assessment for learning.

Paul Harnik
Paul G. Harnik, Committee on Evolutionary Biology at the University of Chicago, is founder of the Devonian Seas Project. He worked closely with Ross during four years at PRI, when he spent considerable time doing outreach to urban schools in Syracuse and Utica, NY. Harnik is now an advanced PhD candidate the Univ. of Chicago, working in evolutionary paleobiology.

Dr. Karen Kalumuck
Dr. Karen E. Kalumuck, is a Scientist and Educator, Exploratorium Teacher Institute. She joined the Exploratorium in 1994 and developed their ongoing teacher professional development program for middle and high school biology teachers. She developed and refined over 200 hands-on classroom explorations adopted and successfully used by teachers across the country and internationally. She also “translates science” for the general public in numerous public programs, web casts, and publications for The Exploratorium.

Dr. Norman Lederman
Dr. Norman G. Lederman, The Illinois Institute of Technology, is Chair and Professor of Mathematics and Science Education. He is well known for his research and scholarship on the development of students’ and teachers; conceptions of the nature of science and scientific inquiry, and served as President of the National Association for Research on Science Teaching. He taught high school biology for 10 years.

Dr. Okhee Lee
Dr. Okhee Lee is a professor in the School of Education, University of Miami. Her research areas include science education, language and culture, and teacher education. She received the Distinguished Career Award from the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Standing Committee for Scholars of Color in Education in 2004.

Dr. Jeffery Over
Dr. Jeff Over (SUNY Geneseo) He is a specialist in Devonian faunas from the Appalachian Basin, received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching from State University of NY in 1998, has involved numerous undergraduates research on Devonian paleontology.; also a PRI Board member and head of the PRI education committee.

Dr. Sofia Villenas
Dr. Sofia Villenas is a professor of education at Cornell University. She is an expert in multicultural cultural education and Latino studies.

Dr. Sarah Woodruff
Dr. Sarah Woodruff, External Evaluator, Ohio’s Evaluation Center for Mathematics and Science Education.