In this session, attendees will investigate strategies for translating scientific research into engaging education and outreach materials appropriate for children through adults. This workshop - which extends the discussion of broader impacts from the Developing Your Broader Impact Identity workshop - will focus more specifically on education and outreach broader impacts and provide time and support for brainstorming and development of individual plans. Attendees will leave with actionable items that can be used for future education and outreach at their own institution, or for inclusion as broader impacts in future grant requests.
Sarah Nuss
Sarah Nuss received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology and marine biology from East Carolina University and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston. Sarah also holds a doctoral degree from the College of William and Mary’s School of Education in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership. Sarah is the Education Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-VA) located at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).
Sarah has worked with CBNERR-VA for the last 20 years, where she and her team specialize in education projects such as the VIMS summer camp program, experiential field experiences for students, and teacher and graduate student professional development. Sarah’s research focuses on the influence of pre-service teacher preparation on teachers’ inclusion of environmental education, the impact of experiential marine science on students and teachers, and pathways leading to a career in ocean science.
Bethany Smith
Bethany Smith received her Bachelor of Science degree in marine science and environmental geology from Rider University and a Master of Science degree in biological oceanography from the College of William and Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). Bethany also holds a post-graduate professional teaching license from the Commonwealth of Virginia with endorsements in earth and space science and gifted education. Bethany has been a marine educator with the Batten School & VIMS Marine Advisory Program since late summer 2020. Prior to this, she spent eleven years as a marine and environmental science instructor and campus lead teacher at Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School for Marine & Environmental Science in Warsaw, Virginia.
At the Batten School & VIMS, Bethany specializes in formal education, providing professional development for K-12 pre-service and in-service teachers, training graduate students as science communicators and educators, and creating enriching hands-on curriculum for K-12 students. Bethany is also actively involved in the design and execution of broader impacts projects for Batten School & VIMS researchers looking to add formal education and public outreach components to their grants. Bethany is a member of the Virginia Association of Science Teachers, the National Marine Educators Association, and a board member of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association.
Kristin Sharpe
Kristen Sharpe is the Assistant Director of Outreach & Engagement at William & Mary’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS. Kristen received an M.S. in Marine Science from the Batten School in 2021, where she investigated the role that zooplankton and their fecal material play in the carbon cycle in the York River (a major tributary to the Chesapeake Bay). Originally from central New York, she received a B.S. in Biological Applications of Environmental Studies from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in 2013. Prior to entering the Batten School’s graduate program in 2018, she worked for nearly 5 years as a Marine Education Specialist at the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-VA), an organization with a federal/state partnership between NOAA and the Batten School & VIMS. In this role, she worked primarily to support K-12 students and teachers from across Virginia, but also with families and the general public through public education events.
