Our Team
Our team is comprised of a motivated group of researchers, K-12 educators, and scientists. We believe that designing the next generation of science curricula and teaching methods relies on centering the voices of practitioners working in diverse real-world contexts. We have partnered with teachers from more than 20 different countries, and we have collaborated with researchers and scientists from MIT, Rutgers, the Philadelphia Zoo, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, among many more. Our team is continuously evolving, and we are always in search of new collaborators.
Current Team Members
Susan Yoon, Ph.D
GSE Presidential Professor
Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs
A learning scientist who specializes in using complex systems approaches for teaching and learning with both students and teachers. Her research focuses on science education and learning environments that reveal patterns of information that may not be seen or understood through traditional means. For more information, visit her profile.
Lauren DeNicola
Teacher of Biological Sciences
A current high school Biology teacher who creates meaningful learning experiences for students that challenge their problem solving skills and offer opportunities for developing relevant scientific practices. Her classroom instruction integrates complex systems and epistemic practices to help students develop critical thinking strategies, and a scientific approach to make decisions about real-world problems.
Sue Kwon
Ph.D Student in Learning Sciences and Technologies
A learning scientist, instructional designer, and former teacher who specializes in designing K-12 STEM learning environments. Her research focuses on how students learn as a group in technology-mediated settings and what design principles support their collaborative learning.
Claire LeBovidge
Ph.D Student in Learning Sciences and Technologies
A learning scientist and former teacher interested in supporting K–12 students as they navigate the complex information systems of everyday life. Her research focuses on how students evaluate scientific content and sources, as well as how they reflect on their own biases when making judgments about scientific information.
Collaborators
Zhitong (Lin) Yang, Ed.D
NJ Department of Education
An expert in measurements and assessments of learning who specializes in high school and college-level assessment. His research focuses on K-12 science performance assessment, non-cognitive measures for workforce readiness, and higher education outcome measurement.
Betty Chandy, Ed.D
Director, Technology Integration and Learning Design at Catalyst
A designer and director of PASS at Catalyst. Her research and program design work explore online learning, computational thinking, teacher development, and the role of new technologies in expanding opportunity for students. For more information, visit her profile.
Tugce Aldemir, Ph.D
Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University
An expert in classroom-ready designs and technology-supported learning experiences that braid key computing competencies. She is currently leading two internally funded projects: (1) AI literacy & CT for non-CS preservice teachers; (2) Sustainable agriculture & AI mentor (middle school, rural). For more information, visit her profile.
Noora Noushad, Ph.D
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
A learning scientist who specializes in promoting the integration of robust and meaningful scientific and epistemic practices into high school classrooms. Her research focuses on effective and high-quality practices for teacher professional development relating to relevant real-world epistemic practices.
Director, Research Administration & STEM Education at CEMB
Amanda Cottone, Ed.D
A STEM education specialist who expands the impact of the RET program. Her research focuses on K-12 students’ development of data literacy and scientific reasoning skills through the use of classroom technologies and engagement in inquiry, real-world data collection, and problem-based learning. For more information, visit her profile.
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Picture forthcoming
Jooeun Shim, Ed.D
Assistant Professor of Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University
An app designer, learning scientist, and mobile learning expert who specializes in supporting teachers as they integrate novel technologies and teaching methods into their classroom instruction. Her research focuses on culturally relevant teaching for STEM integration in K-12 classrooms. For more information, visit her profile.
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Kate Miller, Ph.D
Research Associate at The Concord Consortium
An expert in data literacy who specializes in integrating data literacy in K-12 and interdisciplinary contexts. Her research focuses on pedagogical content knowledge for data literacy and practical applications for data literacy in schools. For more information, visit her profile.
Jacqueline Katz
K-12 Science Supervisor
A K-12 Science Supervisor for Princeton Public Schools. Prior to this role, she spent 13 years teaching high school Biology, Chemistry, and Research. Her classroom goals include cultivating a strong foundation for inquiry and authentic scientific practices. She has been a member of the DeTECT team for nearly a decade, contributing to instructional tools that support the development of students' scientific epistemic practices.
Jennifer Smolyn
Biology & Research Teacher
A current public school teacher at Princeton High School in Princeton, New Jersey, teaching freshman and AP Biology, as well as a three-year Research Program. Her educational interests include curriculum development, promoting data literacy and scientific reasoning, providing authentic student research experiences, and engaging in teacher leadership.
Teacher
Teacher
Chad Evans, Ph.D
Amin Marei, Ph.D
Adjunct Lecturer on Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education (Bio Link)
Jacqueline Van Schooneveld, Ed.D
Professor at West Chester University (Bio Link)
Sao-Ee Goh, Ph.D
Director at Ministry of Education, Singapore
Kira Baker-Doyle, Ph.D
Associate Professor at University of Illinois Chicago (Bio Link)
Joyce Lin, Ed.D
Associate Director, Teacher Development at Knowles Teacher Initiative (Bio Link)
Jessica Koehler, Ph.D
Director of Research, Evaluation and Strategic Integration at Wake Forest University (Bio Link)
Lei Liu, Ph.D
Research Director at ETS, Adjunct Professor at University of Pennsylvania (Bio Link)
Former Team Members
Thomas Richman, Ph.D
Emma Anderson, Ph.D
Research Scientist at MIT (Bio Link)
Miyoung Park