NAGT uses an election process that includes a nomination committee. The nomination committee reviews all of the nominations for officers and makes a recommendation to the membership. The individuals highlighted on this page are being recommended to the membership for office. You also have the option of writing in a candidate for any office.
It is time to vote for officers for the new Teacher Education Division of NAGT. The ballot includes President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer and Media Director. The voting begins on the morning of Tuesday, May 6th and ends on Friday, June 6th.
Past President
Kyle Gray TED Past President Candidate
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Provenance: Erica Zweifel, Carleton College
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Kyle Gray is an Assistant Professor of Earth Science and Science Education at the University of Northern Iowa. His research emphases include improving geoscience courses for elementary education majors, developing inquiry-based lessons on geoscience topics, and developing professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers. Interests outside of science education include physical volcanology and natural hazards. Kyle has led two sessions at GSA on courses for education majors, and has led the effort to create the Teacher Education Division within NAGT.
Education: BS Geology, University of Puget Sound, MS Earth & Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, MIT Teaching, Whitworth University, PhD Secondary Curriculum and Instruction, University of Akron. Professional Experience: Project Geologist, Golder Federal Services (94-98); High School Earth Science Teacher, Academy for Academic Excellence (00-03); Middle School Science Teacher, Canton Country Day School (04-06); Adjunct Instructor, Wayne College (04); Adjunct Instructor, Stark State College (05); Adjunct Instructor, Malone College (08); Assistant Professor, University of Northern Iowa (09-present). Service - Professional: Associate Editor, Journal of Geoscience Education (12-present); NAGT Teacher Education Organizing Committee Chair (13-present). Service - Institutional: Science Education representative, University Secondary Teacher Education Senate (13-present); Teacher Education subcommittee, College Merger Committee (10).
President
NAGT Heather Petcovic TED President candidate
Provenance: Erica Zweifel, Carleton College
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Heather Petcovic is an Associate Professor holding a joint appointment in the Department of Geosciences and the Mallinson Institute for Science Education at Western Michigan University. She is actively engaged in the education of K-12 earth science teachers as an instructor of both content and blended content/methods courses and as departmental advisor to undergraduate Earth Science and Integrated Science teacher preparation programs. She has been involved with several teacher professional development projects, most recently as a consultant to the Michigan Teacher Excellence Program (MiTEP). Her research focuses on the role of fieldwork in geoscience expertise.
Education: BA Geology, Smith College; MS Geology, Oregon State University; PhD Geology, Oregon State University. Professional Experience: NSF GK-12 Teaching Fellow (2000-01), Oregon State University Science Connections Outreach Coordinator (2000-04), Western Michigan University Geosciences/Science Education joint faculty (2004-present). Teaching: Earth science for K-8 preservice teachers, earth materials, field geology, graduate courses in science education theory, research, and practice.Service: Associate Editor for the Journal of Geoscience Education (2010-present), elected officer of the GSA Geoscience Education Division (2004-08), NAGT Distinguished Lecturer (2010-11), TED Organizing Committee (2013-14). PI/Co-PI on six externally funded science education projects, published a dozen peer-reviewed papers in both research and practitioner science education journals.
Vice President
Jeff Thomas
Provenance: Erica Zweifel, Carleton College
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Jeff Thomas is an assistant professor of science education and earth science at Central Connecticut State University. He teaches secondary science methods, earth science and physical science for elementary majors, meteorology, and various graduate courses for in-service science teachers. Previously, Jeff was a secondary earth science teacher for twelve years and he was also a broadcast meteorologist for four years. His research interests are related to inquiry, curriculum development, geoscience education.
Education: BS Meteorology (minor in Geology), California University of Pennsylvania; Ed.D, Science Education, Teachers College, Columbia University. Professional Experience: Assistant Professor at Central Connecticut State University (08 to pres.). Professional Activity: PI for two Teacher Quality Partnership grants; Co-Pi for one Connecticut K-8 Instructional Improvement grant, and project management team member for two Math & Science Partnership grants. Professional Service:Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) Awards Committee (10-13), reviewer for the Journal of Geoscience Education.
Secretary/Treasurer
NAGT Mark Abolins TED Secretary/Treasurer Candidate
Provenance: Erica Zweifel, Carleton College
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Mark Abolins is an Associate Professor at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) near Nashville, TN. He is the principal investigator, coordinator, and one of five research mentors for the National Science Foundation Geosciences Directorate's first Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) specifically designed for future Earth science, chemistry, and biology middle school and high school teachers. He just completed fourteen years of service as the Middle Tennessee State University campus representative to the Tennessee Space Grant Consortium, part of the NASA National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. As the campus Space Grant representative, he oversaw numerous small grants, including grants for pre-college and graduate (MTSU Mathematics and Science Education Ph.D.) projects. He is currently recruiting presenters for 2014 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting topical session T68 on research experiences for pre-service and in-service teachers. He has published in the Journal of Geoscience Education and currently has a manuscript on field geology education in press at the journal. Other current projects include the use of education interventions and flipped instruction in introductory Earth science education.
Education: A.B. Geology, Univ. California-Berkeley; M.S. and Ph.D. Geology, Calif. Institute of Tech. Professional Experience: Geosciences Faculty, Middle Tenn. State Univ. (98-present). Service: Developed applied Geosciences master's program at Middle Tenn.; Organized GSA annual meeting field trip and 2 topical sessions; Published 3 papers (incl. 1 in press) in Journal of Geoscience Education. Awards: 1992 NSF Graduate Fellowship, 1997 Richard H. Jahns graduate assistant teaching award (Caltech Geol. & Planetary Sci.), 1998 NSF Fellowship in STEM Education (declined by me so I could accept position at Middle Tenn.).
Media Director
NAGT Stephen Maddox TED Media Director Candidate
Provenance: Erica Zweifel, Carleton College
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Steve Mattox is a Professor of Geology at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. He contributes to a range of teacher preparation programs including non-science K-8, Integrated Science, Earth Science, and a secondary education Integrated Science endorsement. He has mentored 25 undergraduate science education students to present their work at state and national meetings and collaborated with 15 students on peer-reviewed publications. He continues to extend a state-wide network of high schools offering geology courses for credit at eleven Michigan colleges and universities.
Education: BS Geology Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis; MS and PhD Northern Illinois University. Professional Experience: interpretive ranger National Park Service, HAVO; contract mapping geologist Utah Geological Survey, gold exploration in West Australia, mapping base metals Java Indonesia. Administrative Experience: Department Chair, Geology, GVSU; PI or co-PI of three NSF grants in education. Teaching Experience: general education courses at NIU, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and University of Hawaii at Hilo; geology, integrated science, graduate courses for inservice teachers, and general education at GVSU. Service has included: GSA Education Committee, editor of GVSU's Regional Math & Science newsletter, member of AGU, GSA, and NAGT.
