August 1, 2022
Science of STEM Literacy Summer Conference
at Sul Ross State University and Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, Texas
Bringing together educators to learn about new STEM literacy approaches to teaching and learning.
NASA Goddard's Eddie Gonzales
My Path to NASA Keynote
Noyce Mentor: Sul Ross State University's Dr. Michael Ortiz
Hands, Heart, Mind, Math
Marissa Vara
Cultivating a Sense of Belonging for Marginalized Communities in STEM fields
As a young girl growing up in Uvalde, Texas, Marissa enjoyed being outdoors and being curious about how things in nature worked. In 8th grade, she was accepted into an outreach program called GeoFORCE Texas sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin (UT). It targeted marginalized students from rural and urban areas and exposed them to geosciences. This encouraged her to receive a Bachelor of Science from the Jackson School of Geosciences at UT and a Master of Science at Louisiana State University (LSU) in paleoclimate with a minor in geology. During graduate school, Marissa’s internal passion for outreach and science education began to blossom. She left academia and became a physical scientist at the National Science Foundation working in the Directorate for Geosciences. Marissa worked with program officers who specialize in workforce development, education and diversity, global sustainability relations, and science communication and policy. This is where she gained the experience of combining science education, communication, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) work to broaden participation in STEM fields for all those who want to participate. Currently, Marissa works for the National Center for Atmospheric Research and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (NCAR|UCAR). She works with a bridge program, Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS), as the Undergraduate STEM Coordinator, mentoring students from marginalized communities to create a sense of belonging in research labs, academia, and other STEM career fields. Additionally, she is the DEI and education specialist for NCAR’s Education, Engagement, and Early-Career Development (EdEC) office, where she consults on a variety of educational programs, targeting undergraduates to early-career, to obtain the DEI lens throughout the programs and organization.
Science Mill's Jeff Wheatcraft
Equity and Inclusion in the 21st Century STEM Classroom
SWTJC STEM Success Stories
The Sul Ross State University Uvalde Campus
Let us know if you'll be attending!
For more information about our program, check out our website and social media!