Brains are built over time.
(Core Concept 2 in The Science of Early Childhood Development)
One of my primary goals as a researcher and educator is to engage in community outreach. Interest in STEM-related fields begins as a child but learning never stops. This is why I have participated in and organized numerous outreach events as well as spoken to K12 classes and youth summer camps over the course of my career. Research and science need not be daunting subjects and can easily be communicated to wide audiences via interactive lesson plans, short films, and fun and engaging guest lectures.
Film and videos are a wonderful way to engage audiences of all sizes and ages. Check out the video below to see how we made nerdy science cool for an elementary school in Beaufort, North Carolina.
Communications and Blogs:
Seagrass-associated fish recover quickly from cyclones — https://coastalreview.org/2022/11/seagrass-associated-fish-recover-quickly-from-cyclones/
UNC Chapel Hill Alumni Spotlight for Oceans Week: https://www.unc.edu/discover/on-the-edge-of-discovery/
Beneficial interactions in seagrass restoration — https://coastalreview.org/2021/05/clams-can-boost-seagrass-restoration-study/
Protecting North Carolina’s Seagrasses — https://www.unc.edu/discover/seagrass/
Life in the mangroves — https://research.duke.edu/roots-life
Op-Ed in the Fayetteville Observer (9 December 2017) — Why grad students' tuition waivers shouldn't be taxed
Check out these great organizations, schools, camps, and events:
Growing Equity in Science and Technology - GEST is a collaborative event intended to expose female high school students and students of color who are often underrepresented in STEM fields (9th-12th grades) to STEM resources, role models, and activities in Eastern North Carolina (ENC).
Duke University Marine Lab Community Science - This year-long collaboration with 4th and 5th graders in Carteret County, NC provides knowledge on marine debris, art mosaic methods, solid waste and recycling, remote sensing via drones, and scientific sampling. Students then go out into the field to collect data on marine debris accumulation and conduct a beach clean up in the Rachel Carson Reserve.
SciREN – The Scientific Research and Education Network brings together scientists and K12 educators in order disseminate current research in the form of lesson plans that can be used in the classroom. For the past few years, I have participated in and organized SciREN-Coast, the flagship SciREN event. Our researchers and lesson plans have reached over 1,500 students in Carteret County alone!
NCSSM Summer Programs - The school also offers a wide variety of interactive summer programs and camps for students grades 7-12.
NC Science Festival – The NC Science Festival is a multi-day celebration and showcase of the diverse array of science research and technological developments occurring in NC. Events occur in counties across the state!