CCMS Fellows, Students and Alumni
Postdoctoral Fellows
AAAS Postdoctoral Fellows
Cari Herrmann Abell joined CCMS in August 2005 as a postdoctoral fellow after serving as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Colorado, Boulder in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She earned her Ph.D. in physical chemistry/materials science from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and her B.S. in chemistry/mathematics from Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA.
MSU Postdoctoral Fellows
Beth Covitt joined CCMS in the August 2005 as a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Education at Michigan State University. She earned her Ph.D. in environmental education and conservation psychology in 2003 and her M.S. in resource policy and behavior in 1998, both from the University of Michigan.
Dean Grosshandler joined CCMS in November 2004 as a first-year postdoctoral fellow in the College of Education at Michigan State University. He earned his Ph.D. in mathematics, science, and technology education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his M.S.T. and B.A. at the University of Chicago.
Christopher Wilson joined CCMS in the August 2005 as a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Education at Michigan State University after receiving his Ph.D. in zoology (evolutional biology) from Michigan State in 2000 and his B.Sc. in zoology from the University of Liverpool, UK.
NU Postdoctoral Fellows
Kemi Jona joined CCMS in November 2004 as a mid-career postdoctoral fellow in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University. He received his Ph.D. in computer science from Northwestern.
Eunmi Lee came to CCMS as a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University after completing her dissertation, Conceptualizing Pedagogical Content Knowledge from the Perspective of Experienced Secondary Science Teachers, at the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to that she taught middle and high school Earth science in Korea.
Virginia Pitts joined CCMS at Northwestern University as a graduate student. In summer 2006 she defended her dissertation, Do Students Buy In? A Study of Student Goal and Role Adoption by Students in Project-Based Curricula (view the abstract).She earned her M.A. in learning sciences from Northwestern, and her B.S. in industrial engineering and management from Oklahoma State University. Currently, she is a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern.
UM Postdoctoral Fellows
Yael Shwartz joined CCMS in 2005 as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan . She earned her Ph.D. in science education from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel in 2004 and had taught high school chemistry for many years. Her interests include science literacy, public understanding of science, informal learning, and chemistry learning at the middle and high school levels.
Shawn Stevens joined CCMS in 2005 as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan . She earned her A.B. in chemistry from the University of Chicago and her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Michigan.
Graduate Students
MSU Graduate Students
Rebecca Forthoffer (no information available)
Aroutis Foster joined CCMS as a third-year graduate student in the College of Education at Michigan State University. He received his B.A. in art (computer digital) and TV/Radio (broadcasting production) from CUNY-Brooklyn College in 2003. His interests are designing software for educational purposes, finding effective ways to deliver educational material via technology, and using interactive technologies as teaching tools.
David Grueber is a graduate student in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. He received his B.S. in biology from the University of Michigan and a Teaching Certificate from Concordia College, Ann Arbor.
Kristin Gunckel is a graduate student in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. She has an M.S. in geology from the University of Montana and a B.S. in geology (with a minor in watershed science) from Colorado State University, and obtained teacher certification in secondary science from the University of New Mexico.
John Lockhart (no information available)
David McLaughlin joined CCMS in the fall of 2005 as a graduate student in the College of Education at Michigan State University after teaching middle school math and science in Colombia, Turkey, and Thailand. He earned his M.A. in curriculum and teaching from Michigan State , his B.Ed. in science education from Queens University , and his B.Sc. in biology from University of Western Ontario.
Blakely Tsurusaki joined CCMS as a first-year graduate student at Michigan State University in August 2004. She has earned a Georgia Educator Certificate in biology, an M.Ed. in science education from the University of Georgia, and a B.S. in biology from the University of Puget Sound.
NU Graduate Students
Heather Johnson joined CCMS as a graduate student in the Learning Sciences at Northwestern University in September 2004. She earned her Masters of Teaching and B.A. in environmental sciences from the University of Virginia.
Leema Kuhn joined CCMS as a third-year graduate student in 2004 after entering the Northwestern University graduate program in September 2002. She earned her B.A. in computer science with a concentration in educational studies from Carleton College in Northfield, MN.
Victor Lee joined CCMS in the fall of 2005 as a Ph.D. student in the Learning Sciences Program at Northwestern University, where he works on research in conceptual change and science and math education. Before attending Northwestern, he graduated from University of California, San Diego with degrees in mathematics/applied science (B.A.) and cognitive science (B.A.) with a specialization in human-computer interaction.
Kirsten Mawyer joined CCMS as a second-year graduate student at Northwestern University in September 2004. She earned a B.A. in geology and a B.A. in English from Amherst College.
Pratim Sengupta joined the Learning Sciences Ph.D. Program at Northwestern University in August 2004 and CCMS in the fall term of 2005. Prior to joining the Learning Sciences Program, he was a doctoral candidate in physics. He completed his undergraduate education in physics at Presidency College, Calcutta and the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, both in India.
Su Swarat joined CCMS in the fall of 2005 as a third-year graduate student in the Learning Sciences Program at Northwestern University. She holds an M.S. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Purdue University and a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Peking University.
Jessica Umphress joined CCMS at Northwestern University in 2005 as a graduate student. She earned dual B.A.'s in biology and theatre from Oberlin College and is interested in informal science education.
UM Graduate Students
Nonye Alozie joined CCMS as a first-year graduate student at the University of Michigan in October 2004. She earned her B.S. in biology from UCLA.
Carrie Beyer (no information available)
William Bobrowsky has worked with CCMS at the University of Michigan, where he has been a graduate student since 1999. He earned an M.A.T. in secondary science education at Boston University, an M.S. in educational technologies at the University of Michigan, and a B.A. in geology at Boston University.
Jay Fogleman is a graduate student at the University of Michigan. He earned his M.A.T. degree at The Johns Hopkins University in 1991.
Cory Forbes joined CCMS as a first-year graduate student at the University of Michigan in September 2004. He earned his Kansas 7–12 Teaching Certification in biology, chemistry, and physical science, his M.S. in curriculum and instruction, and his B.S. in biology (Systematics & Ecology) from the University of Kansas.
Mary Heitzman has worked with CCMS at the University of Michigan, where she has been a graduate student since 2002. She earned an M.S. in chemistry at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 2002 and a B.S. in chemistry at Lehigh University.
Joi Merritt joined CCMS as a first-year graduate student at the University of Michigan in September 2004. She earned her B.S. in engineering and chemical engineering from the University of Michigan.
Jeff Nordine has worked with CCMS as a graduate student at the University of Michigan since 2004. He earned his M.A.T. at Trinity University, his M.A. in educational administration and policy at the University of Michigan, and his B.A. in physics at Trinity.
Phil Piety has worked with CCMS as a graduate student at the University of Michigan since 2004. He earned an M.A. in communication, culture and technology from Georgetown University and a B.S. in information systems/computer science from the University of Maryland.
Anna Switzer is a graduate student in science education at the University of Michigan. She received her M.S. in marine science from North Carolina State University and her B.A. in physics from Kenyon College in Ohio.
Molly Yunker joined CCMS in 2005 as a graduate student at the University of Michigan. She earned her B.S. and M.S. in geological sciences from Case Western Reserve University.
Alumni
AAAS Alumni
Deirdre Black joined AAAS Project 2061 in August 2003 as a CCMS postdoctoral fellow. She obtained her Ph.D. in theoretical particle physics from Syracuse University, New York, and her M.S. in mathematical science from the University College Dublin, Ireland. In March 2005, she relocated to the U.K. and is curently a research fellow in the Department of Physics at University of Cambridge.
MSU Alumni
Mark Enfield recently accepted a position as a Research Associate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joined CCMS at Michigan State as a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Education. He earned his M.Ed. at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond and his B.S. in physics at East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma.
Felicia Moore is currently an Assistant Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Moore had been a CCMS postdoctoral fellow at Michigan State University. She earned her Ph.D. in science education from Florida State University.
NU Alumni
Ravit Golan Duncan recently accepted a joint faculty position in the School of Education and the Division of Life Sciences at Rutgers University. She joined CCMS in June 2003 as a graduate research assistant at Northwestern University’s School of Education and completed her Ph.D. in 2005. She earned an M.S. in biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a B.Sc. in biology from Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Dr. Golan Duncan's dissertation was titled Reasoning in Molecular Genetics: From a Cognitive Model to Instructional Design. View the abstract.
Lisa Kenyon recently accepted a position at Wright State University in Dayton, OH, as an Assistant Professor specializing in the biological sciences. She joined CCMS at Northwestern as a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Education and Social Policy. Dr. Kenyon received her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction—science education from the University of Houston, her M.S. in wildlife and fisheries science from Texas A&M, and her B.S. in biology from the University of Missouri—Kansas City.
Eleni Kyza accepted a position as Postdoctoral Associate in educational sciences at the University of Cyprus. She had been a doctoral candidate in the Learning Sciences Program at Northwestern University. She earned her Ed.M. in technology in education from Harvard University, her B.S. in elementary education with a concentration in educational media and technology from Boston University, and her Teacher’s Diploma from the Pedagogical Academy of Cyprus.
Dr. Kyza's dissertation was titled Understanding Reflection-in-Action: An Investigation into Middle-School Students' Reflective Inquiry Practices in Science and the Role That Software Scaffolding Can Play. View the abstract.
Jennifer Schwarz recently accepted a position overseeing education programs for the Center for Learning and Teaching based at the Chicago Botanic Garden. She earned her Ph.D. and M.A. at Northwestern University in the Learning Sciences program.
Dr. Schwarz's dissertation was titled Describing Content in Middle School Science Curricula. View the abstract.
Darlene Slusher is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry/Physics at Coastal Carolina University. She had been a CCMS postdoctoral fellow in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University. She received her Ph.D. and M.S. in earth and atmospheric science and her B.S. in chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Carrie Tzou left Northwestern University in 2006 to begin a postdoctoral position at the Learning in Informal and Formal Environments Center (LIFE), a Science of Learning center at the University of Washington. In December 2005, she successfully defended her dissertation, Inquiry Science as a Discourse: New Challenges for Teachers, Students, and the Design of Curriculum Materials. Dr. Tzou earned her M.S. in teaching and learning from Vanderbilt University, and her B.S. in biology and B.A. in English from Stanford University.
UM Alumni
Magnia George recently accepted a position as an Assistant Professor of Science Education at Emory University in Atlanta. She joined CCMS at Michigan as a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Education. She earned her Ph.D. in science education from the University of Texas at Austin.
Christopher Harris joined CCMS at the University of Michigan as a graduate student in 2003. In summer 2006 he completed his Ph.D. in the University’s Combined Program in Education and Psychology, and is now a faculty member at the University of Arizona. He earned an M.A. in psychology from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in education from the University of California at Berkeley, and a B.S. in education from SUNY College Buffalo. Dr. Harris’ dissertation was entitled Investigating Teaching Practices and Student Learning During the Enactment of an Inquiry-Based Chemistry Unit.
Lisa Scott Holt accepted a position as a Research Scientist at Soar Technology in Ann Arbor, MI. While at CCMS, she was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan School of Education. She earned her Ph.D. in cognitive studies in education from the University of Pittsburgh and her B.S. in physics and mathematics from Alleghany College.
Katherine McNeill joined CCMS at the University of Michigan as a graduate student. In summer 2006 she defended her dissertation, Supporting Students' Construction of Scientific Explanation Through Curricular Scaffolds and Teacher Instructional Practices (view abstract), and accepted a position at Boston College. She received her B.A. with a double concentration in biology and English from Brown University.
Julia Plummer joined CCMS at the University of Michigan as a graduate student in 2003. She defended her dissertation, Elementary Students Learning About the Apparent Motions of Celestial Objects (view abstract), in summer 2006 and accepted an Assistant Professorship for the fall term at Arcadia University. She earned her M.S. in astrophysics at the University of Michigan and her B.S. in physics at Washington State University.
Aaron Rogat, formerly a CCMS postdoctorate fellow at the University of Michigan School of Education, accepted a position for the fall 2006 term as a Research Associate in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, where he will also contribute to the work of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) and the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE) in Rahway, NJ. Dr. Rogat received his Ph.D. in molecular cell biology from Washington University in St. Louis and his B.A. in biology from the University of Oregon in Eugene.
