Current Students doing FCL research
Celeste Barthel
"I am a cross-disciplinary student simultaneously doing a master’s degree in geography and a doctorate in science & math education, focusing on free-choice learning. My diverse background of curriculum development and science teaching to museum audiences as well as K-16 students in Baltimore, MD sparked my interest in employing marine technologies (e.g. GIS, ROV, Remote Sensing) in the free-choice learning environment. I am currently working on Sea Grant’s Marine Biotechnology Curriculum, which is scheduled to be published to the web in winter 2007. This curriculum is a collaborative project that focuses on using marine technologies to research and synthesize natural products from the ocean."
Eleanor Hodak
Eleanor is a student in Marine Resource Management working on a Master's Degree. Eleanor is doing a project growing out of an internship at Oregon Coast Aquarium. Her project involves public interpretation and conservation messages at the Sea Otter and Sea Lion exhibits.
Abby Nickels
Abby is also a graduate student in Marine Resource Management. Over summer of 2007, she is carrying out an internship at Oregon Coast Aquarium examining visitors' motivations for visiting and conservation attitudes pre and post visit.
Molly Phipps
"I am a Ph.D. student in the Department of Science and Math Education at OSU focusing on Free-choice learning. Some of my earliest memories are of going to the Natural History Museum in Cleveland, OH where there is a replica of ‘Lucy’ (the ancient hominid fossil). I come to Oregon from Rhode Island and have enjoyed exploring the new coastal environment. I have a B. S. in Geology-Biology from Brown University, where I researched past climate change in ocean sediments. I am currently working on designing and evaluating an exhibit on satellite oceanography data working with scientists in OSU’s College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. I also work for the SMILE (Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences) Program creating oceanography scenarios for rural high school students throughout Oregon. I like to work with scientists and non-scientists to help them understand each other and to learn from each other. I am interested in finding the cultural tools that help people make sense of scientific data. I have always loved science museums, and I am excited to mesh my background in science with my love of museums."
Bryan Rebar
Bryan is an Environmental Sciences Program Doctoral student researching teachers and field trips. Bryan's master's thesis used personal meaning mapping to explore changes in schoolchildren's conceptions of nature as a result of attending an outdoor school.
Carlos Rios de Uribe
Carlos is a doctoral student in the Environmental Sciences Program. His current work looks at the role of free-choice learning in raising awareness around natural hazard preparedness.
Elizabeth Rollins
Combining her graduate project with her work at Newport's Marine Discovery Tours, Elizabeth is carrying out an analysis of learning from a boat-based marine education program using surveys and concept mapping.
Joleen Schilling
As a Professional Science Masters student in Environmental Sciences, Joleen combines her interest in botany, communication, and non-profit management. She is currently carrying out an interneship with the Institute for Applied Ecology focusing on teacher resources for their RARE Partnership (Restoration and Reintroduction Education).
Christine Smith
Christine got her oceanography B.S. from the University of South Carolina in 2000 and is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Science and Mathematics Education with a free-choice learning focus. Her master's project involves collaborating with local communities in the re-development of an exhibit at HMSC Visitors Center. Christine has a wide range of teaching experiences in both formal and informal settings. In addition to her project work, Christine has carried out an evaluation of the Oregon Coast Aquarium's K-5 outreach pogram.
Alumni
Alicia Christensen (2007 M.S. Marine Resource Management)
As the new Public Programming Coordinator at Oregon Coast Aquarium, Alicia is putting her degree to work creating and evaluating marine outreach programs. Alicia came to Oregon State University from Colorado. She has a B.S. from Colorado State University in zoology, and has worked in environmental conservation and marine education for the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Ocean Journey Aquarium (CO), Newfound Harbor Marine Institute (FL), and Acadia National Park (ME).
Coral Gehrke (2007 M.S. Marine Resource Management)
Coral completed a Master's Degree project involving evaluation of physical use of public spaces at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The project grew out of her summer 2006 internship there. Coral is currently working in research and evaluation for Oregon Sea Grant.
Bronwen Rice (2007 M.S. Marine Resource Management)
Bronwen's work with the Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) program led her to her master's degree project looking at afterschool program teachers' perspetives on ocean literacy and the tools of oceanography. Bronwen was awarded a National Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship for the coming year and will be living and working in Washington DC for the next 18 months.
Heidi Schmoock (2007 M.S. Environmental Sciences)
Heidi's work on the learning experiences of bilingual families at HMSC was the basis of her master's thesis in Environmental Sciences.