Alton Thompson
Provost
Delaware State University
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Dr. Alton Thompson is the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Delaware State University (DSU). Prior to joining Delaware State in July 2010, Thompson was a tenured professor and dean and executive director for Agricultural Programs in the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at North Carolina A&T State University for eight years and then served as interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs for two years. He earned his bachelor’s degree at North Carolina Central University and his master’s and doctorate from The Ohio State University.
Cindy Hmelo-Silver
Professor of Educational Psychology
Rutgers University
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Dr. Hmelo-Silver is a Professor of Educational Psychology at Rutgers University. After receiving her Ph.D. in Cognitive Studies as Vanderbilt University, she served as a postdoctoral fellow at Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Pittsburgh’s Learning Research and Development Center. She is co-editor- in-chief of the Journal of Learning Sciences, and serves on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, and the Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning. She received awards for Best Paper by a New Investigator from the AERA Division I for her dissertation research, an NSF Early CAREER award for her work on complex systems, and a National Academy of Education Postdoctoral fellowship for studying collaborative knowledge building in problem-based learning and how that is facilitated. She served as co-chair for the international Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning 2007 conference.
Costel Denson
Managing Member
Costech Technologies, LLC
Costel Denson is currently managing member at Costech Technologies. Previously he has served as a Professor of Chemical Engineering, Vice Provost for Research and Dean at the University of Delaware. He has extensive experience working with industry, specifically General Electric. Dr. Denson has served on numerous advisory boards, more recently including the U.S. Department of Defense: Scientific Advisory Board,the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Science Advisory Board, and the National Research Council: Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicity.
Don Baugh
Vice President for Education
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
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Don is the Vice President for Education at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. His current job responsibilities include: steering the direction and vision of CBF's education program; acquiring funding; overseeing the budget process; overseeing capital improvements; serving as a liaison to the Board of Trustees; and developing policy for the entire organization. From 1985 to 1989, he was a member of the Maryland Advisory Committee on Environmental Education and a member of the Association of Environmental and Outdoor Educators. He served on Maryland's Conservation Education Council from 1982 until 1985 and was a founding board member of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Educators Association (1982-1985) and Friends of Bull Run (1995-2000). In 1992, Mr. Baugh accepted the Presidential Medal for Environmental Excellence on behalf of CBF's education program from President George Bush.
Donald Langenberg
Former Chancellor and Professor Emeritus
University System of Maryland
Climate Science Specialties: Science Education, Energy
Dr. Langenberg is former Chancellor and Professor Emeritus at the University System of Maryland. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkley, he began a 22-year tenure as a professor of physics at the University of Pennsylvania. Over the course of his career, Dr. Langenberg was a visiting professor at Oxford University, the Ecole Normale Superieure, the California Institute of Technology and the University of Munich. He has served as Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation and was the first Chancellor of the University of Illinois, Chicago. Dr. Langenberg serves or has served on a number of boards including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, the National Association of the State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, and the National Council for Science and the Environment. He is also President of the American Physical Society. He was awarded the John Price Wetherill Medal of the Franklin Institute, the Distinguished Contribution to Research Administration Award of the Society of Research Administrators and many others. His contribution to the field of superconductivity led to a new type of voltage standard now in use worldwide.
Frank Niepold
Climate Education Coordinator
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Climate Science Specialties: Science Education
Frank Niepold is the Climate Education Coordinator at NOAA's Climate Program Office in Silver Spring Maryland, a co-chair of the U.S. Global Change Research Program's Communications and Education Interagency Working Group, and the U.S. Climate Action Report Education, Training, and Outreach chapter lead. At NOAA, Frank develops and implements NOAA's Climate goal education and outreach efforts that specifically relate to NOAA's Climate goal and literacy objective. Additionally, he is the managing lead of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (GCRP) document, Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science. NOAA, NSF, NASA, AAAS Project 2061, CIRES, American Meteorological Society, and various members from both the science and education community worked to define climate literacy in the United States. Frank received a MSEd in Earth Space Science Education (2006) from John's Hopkins University with areas of concentration in Earth Observing Systems, Scientist/Teacher/Student Collaboration and Earth Systems science education focused on climate.
Lillian Lowery
Superintendent
Maryland State Department of Education
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Dr. Lillian M. Lowery became Maryland State Superintendent of Schools and Secretary-Treasurer of the State Board on July 1, 2012. She moved to Maryland from Delaware, where she served as Secretary of Education since January 2009. As the State Chief, she facilitated a broad-based statewide strategic planning and grant application process, resulting in Delaware being selected one of the first states to be awarded a coveted federal Race to the Top grant. Dr. Lowery has worked in various education institutions and programs since 1976. Prior to becoming Secretary of Education, she served for three years as the Superintendent of the Christina School District in New Castle County, DE. She has served as an Assistant Superintendent in Fairfax County, VA, and an Area Superintendent in Fort Wayne, IN.
Mark Murphy
Secretary of Education
Delaware Department of Education
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Secretary of Education Mark Murphy directs the administration and operation of the Delaware Department of Education. Nominated by Gov. Jack Markell in April 2012, his focus is on ensuring children and educators are positively impacted when developing policy and implementing state and federal initiatives. Prior to his appointment, Murphy served as executive director of the nonprofit Vision Network in Delaware, leading school improvement efforts with staff, consultants and educators at more than two dozen schools across the state. Before joining Vision Network, Murphy was executive director of leadership development at New Leaders for New Schools. There, he designed and implemented cutting-edge school leadership standards and assessments. Prior to his nonprofit education leadership work, Murphy was a physical education teacher, elementary teacher, assistant principal and principal. His work as a principal was targeted at driving high achievement gains for every student and eliminating the achievement gap in his school.
Martin Storksdieck
Director of the Board on Science Education
National Academy of Sciences
Climate Science Specialties: Communication
Dr. Storksdieck is Director of the Board on Science Education at the National Academy of Sciences and a research fellow at ILI where he focuses on science learning and engaging scientists in informal education. He serves as adjunct faculty at the George Washington University. He holds a Masters in Biology from the Albert-Ludwigs University, a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in education from Leuphana University. He previously served as Director of Project Development and as senior researcher at ILI. He previously was a science educator with a planetarium in Germany where he developed shows and programs on global environmental change, served as editor, host, and producer for a weekly environmental news broadcast, and worked as an environmental consultant specializing on local environmental management systems.
Mary Ann Rankin
Provost
University of Maryland College Park
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Mary Ann Rankin, Professor of Biology, became Senior Vice President and Provost of the University of Maryland, College Park on October 1, 2012. Prior to assuming this position, Rankin was CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) in Dallas. NMSI is a public-private partnership dedicated to expanding the pipeline of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) graduates and STEM K-12 teachers. Previously, she spent 36 years at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin, where she served for six years as chair of biological sciences and for nearly 17 years as Dean of the College of Natural Sciences.
Melvin George
President Emeritus
University of Missouri
website
Climate Science Specialties: Science Education
Dr. George is President Emeritus of the University of Missouri, President Emeritus of St. Olaf College, and Professor Emeritus of Mathematics, University of Missouri-Columbia. After receiving a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Princeton University, Dr. George joined the faculty of the University of Missouri as the Associate Dean of the Graduate School and later as the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Interim President. He has held additional appointments as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, President at St. Olaf College and Vice President for Institutional Relations at the University of Minnesota. He has chaired review boards for the National Science Foundation, the Missouri K-16 Coalition and has served as a member of the National Research Council. He has served as a panelist for NSF programs in STEM education, as chair and member of regional accreditation teams in higher education, and as a consultant to colleges and universities.
Ricky Arnold
Astronaut
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Mr. Arnold is an astronaut at NASA. After completing his graduate work at University of Maryland in Marine Science he began his career as an Oceanographic Technician at the U.S. Naval Academy. Mr. Arnold went on to teach science to middle and high school students nationally and internationally for the next 15 years. In 2004 he was selected as a Mission Specialist by NASA and in August 2007, he completed aquanaut training and served as a mission specialist on a joint NASA-NOAA mission, NEEMO 13 (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Objectives), where he lived and worked in and around Aquarius - the world’s only undersea laboratory. In 2009 Arnold was a crew member on the launch of the Discovery, which included a mission to the International Space Station.
Robert Correll
Principal
Global Environment Technology Foundation
Climate Science Specialties: Energy, Oceanography
Dr. Corell is a Principal for the Global Environment Technology Foundation and its Center for Energy and Climate Solutions, an Ambassador for ClimateWorks, Professor II at the University of the Arctic’s new Institute of Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry and a Professor II at the University of Tromso. Dr. Corell is an oceanographer and engineer by background and training, having completed his graduate degrees at Case Western Reserve University and MIT. He was recognized with the other scientists for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments. He has served in leadership positions at the National Science Foundation, the Heinz Center, the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and the American Meteorological Society. He is Head of the U.S. Office for the Global Energy Assessment and Chair of the Global Climate Action Initiative.
Robert Gagosian
President
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
website
Climate Science Specialties: Oceanography, Science Education
Dr. Gagosian is the first President/CEO of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. After receiving his Ph.D. in Chemistry at Columbia University, Dr. Gagosian began his career at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute where he ascended to the rank of Director. During this period he was Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education and was appointed to a number of other prestigious positions, including the World Economic Forum, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Explorers Club, and the U.S. National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. He has served in an advisory role to the National Academy of Sciences, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the White House.
Sharon Densler
Science Specialist
Capital School District
Sharon Densler is the Science Specialist for Capital School District and works with K-12 Science teachers. She taught 8th grade Earth and Space Science for 24 years at Central Middle School. She has been actively involved in STEM, serving on the Governor’s STEM Council in Delaware and chairing the council's Program and Evaluation Committee. Participating in exciting workshops and PD has been a passion Sharon's throughout her teaching career; Sharon has done many workshops with NASA (Reduced Gravity Program, Teacher Academy Project with the effects of microgravity on the human body, and NASA Volcano workshop), NOAA weather workshops in Kansas City, and Space Camp.
Shirley Malcom
Director, Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Climate Science Specialties: Science Education
Dr. Malcom is Head of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She serves as a Regent of Morgan State University and as a trustee of Caltech. Dr. Malcom is a former trustee of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Dr. Malcom serves on several boards—including the Heinz Endowments and the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment—and is an honorary trustee of the American Museum of Natural History. In 2006 she was named as co-chair of the National Science Board Commission on 21st Century Education in STEM. She is a fellow of the AAAS and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has served on the National Science Board, the policymaking body of the National Science Foundation and the President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology. In 2003 Dr. Malcom received the Public Welfare Medal of the National Academy of Sciences, the highest award given by the Academy.
Timothy Chandler
Provost
Towson University
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Dr. Chandler currently serves as Provost for Towson University. Dr. Chandler is a sport historian and holds a doctorate from Stanford University. He has been a professor in the School of Exercise, Leisure and Sport at Kent State University since 2001. Prior to that, he taught at Syracuse University and was a visiting lecturer in the School of Physical Education, Sport and Leisure at De Montfort University in Bedford, UK. Dr. Chandler’s previous positions include senior associate provost, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and dean of the College of Fine and Professional Arts at Kent State University. Past achievements include a college diversity plan and a five percent increase in faculty diversity, decentralized and enhanced student advising, and the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities for arts students in the community.
William Kirwan
Chancellor
University System of Maryland
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William E. Kirwan, Chancellor of the University System of Maryland since August 1, 2002, is a nationally recognized authority on critical issues shaping the higher education landscape. He served as President of Ohio State University for four years (1998-2002) and President of the University of Maryland, College Park for 10 years (1988-1998). Prior to his presidency, he was a member of the University of Maryland faculty for 24 years. Currently, Dr. Kirwan chairs the National Research Council Board of Higher Education and Workforce, chairs the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center Advisory Committee, and co-chairs the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. He also serves on the Business-Higher Education Forum. In Maryland, Dr. Kirwan co-chairs the Governor's P-20 STEM Task Force and is a member of the Governor's International Advisory Board and the Maryland Economic Development Commission.
