Team Leads

Dr. Neil Knobloch

Dr. Neil Knobloch is a professor of agricultural STEM education in the Department of Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication at Purdue University. As Chair of the Purdue College of Agriculture PK-12 Engagement Initiative, he is an instructional leader and designer on advancing STEM education through AFNR using innovative learner-centered teaching approaches in both PK-16 formal and informal educational environments. STEM learning experiences at Purdue, nationally and internationally. He has been recognized nationally for his research and teaching. Dr. Knobloch is passionate about engaging all students to solve complex real-world problems using inclusive learner-centered teaching approaches. Additionally, he is a CATALYST fellow. 

Dr. Hui-Hui Wang

Dr. Hui-Hui Wang is an assistant professor at Department of Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication. She also is one of the faculty for Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM at Department of Curriculum and Instruction. She studies integrated STEM through agriculture, food, and nature resources (AFNR) curriculum and instruction across formal and non-formal K-12 settings. Her current work focuses on building a sustainable interdisciplinary collaboration with in-service K-12 STEM and agriculture teachers to help them develop and implement integrated STEM through AFNR teaching approaches. 

Co-Collaborators

Dr. Jason Ware

As an Engagement Fellow Jason focuses on clinical and tenure track faculty development in engagement, helping to strengthen the university’s commitment to enhancing the human condition through the scholarship of engagement and community impact. First, he was a Scholarship of Engagement (SoE) Fellow, which supported his promotion from assistant to associate clinical professor. Then he became an SoE Faculty Mentor for several terms before he served in an interim role, leading the SoE Fellowship Program. Community impact and engagement are at the core of his teaching and discovery. Jason’s work in engagement involves working with non-profit organizations domestically and internationally to co-investigate and respond to indicators of community well-being via five different domains loosely connected to the Gallup Sharecare Community Well-Being Index: 1) physical well-being, 2) social well-being, 3) financial well-being, 4) community well-being, and 5) purpose well-being.

Yaohua Betty Feng

Yaohua Betty Feng, is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Food Safety. She is striving to reduce foodborne illness cases and enhance food safety and quality by effective risk assessment, messaging and communication is the overriding focus of her research program. Feng's research program explores cultural, social, and environmental factors that affect food safety behaviors using a socioecological approach. The goal of the research program is to identify barriers to understanding food safety issues and evaluate strategies that empower stakeholders to make science-based decisions. By using both qualitative and quantitative research methods and working with farmers, food workers, and consumers, Dr. Feng's work can increase the knowledge of different sectors of the food supply chain, from consumers, food processors, retailers to the policymakers.

Dr. Petrus Langenhoven

Dr. Petrus Langenhoven is a Horticulture and Hydroponics Crops Specialist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. Prior to this, he dedicated his career to the development of Sub-Saharan Africa's specialty crops sector. With specialization in hydroponics and vegetable crop production, Dr. Langenhoven is a key member in the Department's Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Team. CEA has been identified as a signature area for the Department. Interest in healthy sustainably produced food, local foods, and urbanization of the state, and emerging new technologies provide a set of conditions that pushes this segment of horticulture forward. His strong background in horticulture production research and Extension allows him to leverage research and Extension programming around new technologies and expertise in high tunnel and greenhouse management, and open field vegetable production. 

Dr. Roger Tormoehlen

Dr. Roger Tormoehlen is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University. Prior to joining the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Dr. Tormoehlen was the Head of the Department of Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication. Dr. Tormoehlen has led the development and implementation of a national competitive engineering challenge event for high-school aged youth. The team-focused event features competitions in areas of agricultural tractors, robotics, electricity/electronics, and computer science/engineering. Dr. Tormoehlen has also developed and implemented numerous multi-day youth science/engineering workshops, in collaboration with university researchers and industry experts, focusing on career exploration and development in the areas of engineering, electronics, technology and computer science.

Graduate Students

Elizabeth Ehi Ogar

Elizabeth Ogar is a PhD student who specializes in agricultural education under the supervision of Drs. Hui-Hui Wang and Neil Knobloch. Ogar’s interest lies in youth motivation in agriculture through learner-centered teaching, STEM integration, teacher professional development, curriculum, and instruction. As a research assistant in the IN-VISION (INdustry-driVen Integrated STEM and Systems Approach to Innovative incubatION) project, she is interested in evaluating the impact of the project on teachers’ motivations to teach integrated STEM and students’ outcomes. Ogar has an MS in Agricultural Extension from University of Ilorin, Nigeria, with seven years of experience working in extension.

Kaley Mumma

Kaley Mumma is a doctoral student who plans to pursue a career in academia and is passionate about research related to broadening participation in the agricultural sector. Mumma has a strong foundation in agricultural education, having earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree in the field. She has experience in research, teaching, and leadership in student organizations. Her master’s thesis focused on gender bias in agricultural education. Mumma is expanding her research to explore how gender bias intersects with other factors, such as race, sexuality, and region. Through the support of a Ross Fellowship, Mumma can devote time to developing her research interests and professional abilities under the supervision of her advisor, Dr. Neil Knobloch