William Folk, PhD., Prof. of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, co-PI, served on the faculties of the University of Michigan Medical School and the University of Texas-Austin before joining the University of Missouri as chair of the Department of Biochemistry. There he was responsible for 25 regular faculty, over 150 staff, and the education of over 300 undergraduate majors, 45 graduate students and 90 medical students. By the end of his tenure, the Department’s external grant support increased five-fold to become MU’s strongest biomedical science department. Dr. Folk initiated efforts that strengthened collaborative research and outreach education with College of Education faculty. When serving as Senior Associate Dean for Research in the School of Medicine, he was responsible for facilitating research and training of medical and graduate students, fellows and junior faculty, and directed the Office of Medical Research. Dr. Folk also served as associate director of MU Health Care’s Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, directed an NIH-funded Center for International Phytotherapy Research (TICIPS) and an NIH-funded Center for Botanical Interaction Studies (MU-CBIS). He has extensive experience with cross-cultural science research and education/learning as a result of collaborations in over a dozen countries, including the implementation of communities of learning and practice.

Dr. Folk has mentored 25 PhD students, 20 postdoctoral fellows, and numerous undergraduates and medical students in research training. He leads research programs focusing upon viruses, medicinal plants and botanical supplements and science education. Dr. Folk led an NIH postdoctoral training program at the University of Michigan, a DOD-funded breast cancer research training program for undergraduates at MU, an HHMI science education program (Maps in Medicine), and the ShowMe InABox science enrichment program for middle schools.

Delinda van Garderen, PhD., Prof. of Special Education, University of Missouri, co-PI, is an associate professor in special education and has expertise in teacher professional development and instructional practices for diverse learners. She has mentored 10 graduate students and one postdoctoral student in educational research training and has prepared many graduate and undergraduate students to be teachers in both general and special education. Dr. van Garderen has contributed to a number of research projects funded by the NSF that are focused in both science and mathematics education with an emphasis on improving the teaching and learning of diverse learners. She currently leads a research project to help teachers use Universal Design for Learning as a framework to develop and implement inquiry-based science programs that support all learners, including diverse learners, access the content. The focus of this research has been to examine the model of situated professional development in order to understand its efficacy and its impact on student learning. In this project, Dr. van Garderen designed and implemented the professional development and data analysis. She has experience and expertise related to mixed-methods, survey, teaching experiment, and descriptive research methodology.

Amy Lannin, PhD., Associate Professor, English Education; Director of Campus Writing Program, University of Missouri, co-I, is a co-editor of Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, the annual volume of the Literacy Research Association. She has published in the WPA Journal, Writing & Pedagogy, The English Journal, and has a chapter in the edited collection Writing Program Architecture: Thirty Cases for Reference and Research. Dr. Lannin’s research focus includes writing instruction and assessment across the curriculum.  Current work includes the STEM Literacy Project, a statewide initiative for math and science teachers funded by an Improving Teacher Quality Grant.

As program manager, Sarah Hill is a member of the management team and responsible for oversight of day-to-day activities, coordination and implementation of the project timeline, communication with participants and their districts, facilitating collaboration among campus departments and other tasks that often materialize.  In addition, she acts as manager for another program, also in the MU College of Education. Ms Hill, formerly the project director for A TIME for Physics First, an extensive professional development program for 9^th grade science teachers in Missouri and hosted by MU Physics, began her 20-year experience in teacher professional development with a six-year stint as coordinator of the Show-Me Science Center, hosted by Columbia Public Schools and affiliated with the Science Teachers of Missouri. She can be reached at hillsar@missouri.edu or (573) 882-8758.

Bridget Murphy, Senior Research Coordinator, Assessment Resource Center (ARC), University of Missouri.  Bridget holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from Kansas State University and has ten years of experience conducting program evaluation at the ARC.  She has worked with multiple programs and organizations to develop evaluation plans and data collection protocols with the end goal of promoting continuous improvement in a variety of organizational settings.

William Romine, PhD., Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, Wright State University; internal evaluation, assessment development.  William Romine is an Associate Professor in Wright State University’s Biological Sciences department, with joint appointments in Teacher Education and Computer Science.  He directs the Data Science for Education laboratory at Wright State where he and his students focus on educational measurement using tests and surveys, social media, and sensors.  Dr. Romine and his students use these measures to construct dynamic models for both learning and affective change related to science.

Meera Chandrasekhar, PhD., Professor of Physics, University of Missouri, will advise on the development of science inquiry and professional development activities. Aligning with her strong interests in the education of young students, Dr. Chandrasekhar received the NSF Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring and the prestigious Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching and is a University Curators’ Teaching Professor.  She has led numerous grant-funded programs in science education, most recently A TIME for Physics First. http://faculty.missouri.edu/~chandrasekharm/

Torrey Palmer, PhD., Consultant in Literacy, Teaching and Curriculum is committed to strengthening public education locally and nationally and has worked as a classroom teacher, coach and curriculum coordinator. She currently works for TNTP, a non-profit focused on ending the injustice of educational inequalities, where she leads innovative work to support teachers and leaders in leveraging college and career ready standards to yield improvements in teaching and learning. Prior to joining TNTP, Torrey served as the K-6 Literacy Coordinator in Reno, Nevada, where she co-founded the Core Task Project, a nationally recognized model for Common Core State Standards implementation.  She is a Student Achievement Partners Fellow, a contributor to the Basal Alignment Project, and has presented nationally at conferences hosted by the International Reading Association (IRA), WestEd, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the Yale Education School of Management. Torrey holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and recently completed her doctorate in Educational Specialties, with an emphasis in literacy and action research, at the University of Nevada, Reno.  Prior to her work in education, Torrey was a two-time silver medalist at the World Rowing Championships and competed in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Veeko Lucas, is a graduate of Berea College, Indiana University Southeast, and Teachers College: Columbia University. He currently serves as the Director of Design and Innovation of the Laying the Foundation program, a pre-AP Math, Science and English supplementary resource provided by the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI). In his work at NMSI, Veeko leads the redesign of resources and teacher training for the supplemental resource targeting students furthest from opportunity in grades 3-10. His work is guided by the Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards and frameworks for Advanced Placement coursework provided by College Board to design a resource that prepares teachers to create learning experiences geared towards preparing students for success in STEM from high school to career.

Gouranga Saha, PhD., professor of education at Lincoln University, has led a multi-year professional development program, “Enduring Understanding of Science via Inquiry & Literacy” (EUSIL) serving five high-need school districts in St. Louis to increase the academic achievement of students in science through inquiry and literacy.

HEBA ABDELNABY is a second year master’s student in Special education, from Gaza City, Palestine. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education & English language teaching and her educational interests are in the areas of literacy, writing and learning disabilities. Heba is a Fulbright international student and has shared her personal perspective on the Linking Science & Literacy for All Learners.

RACHEL JUERGENSEN is a 2nd year doctoral student in Special Education, from St. Louis and spent 12 years as an elementary teacher and administrator, 2 years as a statewide coach for Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support. Her educational interests are in Elementary Science and Universal Design for Learning.

CASSANDRA SMITH is a first year doctoral student in Special Education, and hails from St. Louis. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education: Cross-Categorical Special Education (K-12) here at the University of Missouri – Columbia; then a  Master of Education Degree in Special Education: Curriculum for Exceptional Students, Teaching Fellow – University of Missouri – Columbia.  She was a special education teacher for four years. Her educational interests are math interventions, strategies, and methods for secondary special education students.