Grounded in the work of the Noyce Program in our region, this panel brings together educators and leaders committed to advancing STEM literacy. To date, the program has supported 19 Noyce scholars and alumni, partnered with 10 mentor teachers, and engaged 18 STEM educators across our communities. Panelists will reflect on this collective impact while exploring how AI and national initiatives like the Presidential AI Challenge are shaping teaching and learning.

Dr. Jennifer Haan is a Professor of Practice in the College of Education and Coordinator of the Master of Education degree Educational Leadership and Principal Preparation programs at Sul Ross State University.  She has 13 years of experience as an ESL and Inclusion classroom teacher in grades K-8 in California and New Mexico.  She has over 20 years of experience as a campus principal, assistant principal, instructional coach, and district leader in California, New Mexico and Texas. Dr. Haan earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Administration at New Mexico State University. Her dissertation focused on leadership practices of educational leaders in the U.S.-Mexico borderland region.  She earned her Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration from California State University, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. 

Dr. Bushra Sajid is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Sul Ross State University. She holds a PhD in Information Science and has a background in data science, machine learning, and AI-driven research. Her work focuses on applying AI techniques to real-world problems, including data quality, predictive modeling, and natural language processing. She is passionate about making AI accessible to learners of all backgrounds and supporting educators integrating AI concepts into their classrooms. 

Dr. Tandra Tyler-Woods a Professor of Learning Technologies at the University of North Texas with expertise in artificial intelligence in education, STEM learning, assessment visualization, and special education. She earned a Ph.D. and M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Special Education and Psychology from Converse College. Dr. Tyler-Wood has extensive experience in higher education leadership, research, and K–12 intervention programs, including serving as Department Chair at UNT, and Chair of the Assessment Division of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education. Her scholarship focuses on equitable learning opportunities, AI literacy, STEM engagement, and technology-supported assessment systems for underrepresented populations. She has published widely on AI in education, learning analytics, dashboards for assessment visualization, and inclusive STEM instruction. Her recent research examines AI and technology skills, student achievement, digital fabrication, and interventions designed to support diverse learners in technology-rich educational environments.

Dr. Gerald A. Knezek is a Regents Professor at the University of North Texas with expertise in educational psychology, computational psychometrics, learning sciences, and technology-enhanced STEM education. He earned a Ph.D. and M.Ed. in Educational Psychology from the University of Hawaii and an A.B. in Mathematics and the Social Sciences from Dartmouth College. Dr. Knezek has served in higher education for more than four decades, focusing on integrating emerging technologies into K–12 and higher education learning environments. He is the former president of SITE (Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education) and has been awarded several Fulbright Fellowships.

His research examines artificial intelligence in education, STEM career interest, mathematics engagement, and technology-supported learning. He has authored and edited numerous influential publications related to educational technology, STEM learning, and AI-enhanced instruction. Dr. Knezek’s recent scholarship includes research on AI in education, middle school STEM engagement, and technology-based approaches to fostering student interest and achievement in mathematics and science.

Dr. Kevin Urbanczyk  is a Senior Research Scientist at the Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water. His work focuses on environmental systems of Far West Texas, with particular emphasis on groundwater and surface water processes, Rio Grande geomorphology, and the petrology and geochemistry of regional igneous rocks.

His research includes investigations of groundwater–surface water interactions, watershed dynamics, and channel evolution along the Rio Grande and its tributaries. A central component of his current work examines spring flow contributions from the Edwards-Trinity Plateau Aquifer in the Lower Canyons reach of the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River.

Dr. Urbanczyk has contributed to the development of Groundwater Availability Models for the Texas Water Development Board and has served on the Basin and Bay Expert Science Team for the Upper Rio Grande with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. He currently serves as a Director of the Brewster County Groundwater Conservation District and as Data Manager for the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District.

He is actively engaged in binational research and conservation initiatives along the Rio Grande/Río Bravo corridor, particularly in the Big Bend region, where his work supports sustainable water management across the U.S.–Mexico border. 

Dr. Heather Haynes (PhD) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on special education, inclusion, learning disabilities and reading instruction. She engages in scholarship related to educator preparation, learning disabilities, social and emotional learning, educational systems thinking, and inclusive higher education practices. As a dyslexic academic, Dr. Haynes’ scholarship focuses on translating research to practice and mentorship, often with cross-disciplinary teams. In 2023-2024, she was awarded two fellowships, the Daniel Lubetzky Social and Emotional Learning Fellowship studying social and emotional learning in students with learning disabilities and a Trinity University Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive STEM Fellowship supporting STEM faculty incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in their university teaching and course design. Dr. Haynes was also honored with the SA Light Award in 2024 by the San Antonio Express-News for her service and grassroots efforts in advocacy for inclusion, disability, and compassion education. Heather has worked as an elementary teacher, K-12 literacy coach, state level reading technical assistance specialist, reading and teacher preparation program coordinator on research and dissemination grants at The University of Texas, Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts, and was a doctoral fellow at The University of Kansas, Beach Center on Disabilities. 

Jacqueline “Jacque” Rousselow, M.Ed., LPC, LCDC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant is a highly regarded EMDR specialist, trauma therapist, and mental health leader dedicated to helping individuals heal at the deepest levels. With a profound commitment to alleviating human suffering, Jacque has devoted her career to guiding people through trauma, emotional pain, and life’s most challenging experiences—empowering them to reconnect with their resilience, clarity, and sense of self. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Community Health from the University of Texas at San Antonio and her master’s degree in Education & Counseling from Sul Ross State University, where she also completed her counseling internship. Her clinical career includes impactful roles as a team therapist at The High Frontier and as Clinical Director at Coral Reef Academy, where she led with both clinical excellence and compassionate vision. Jacque is deeply rooted in the EMDR community and was personally trained by the late Dee Blinka, a world-renowned EMDR specialist and recipient of the prestigious Francine Shapiro Award. This mentorship helped shape her advanced clinical approach and reinforced her lifelong mission: to expand access to effective trauma healing and support individuals in transforming pain into growth. She later founded Brisa Counseling Services and co-created Brisa Therapeutics alongside Toni Sands. Brisa Therapeutics is a cutting-edge, EMDR-inspired therapeutic ecosystem designed to make nervous system regulation and trauma-informed tools accessible worldwide—bridging the gap between therapy sessions and real-life healing.

A passionate advocate for accessible mental health care, Jacque’s work is driven by a belief that healing should not be limited by access, cost, or circumstance. Her mission is to help the world heal—one nervous system at a time—by providing tools that are both clinically grounded and deeply human. In addition to her clinical work, Jacque is a published author. She co-authored the EMDR-inspired Brisa Therapeutics six-book series and authored the children’s book The Adventures of Roam and River; Our EXTRA-Ordinary Life!, which reflects her family’s values of curiosity, connection, and experiential learning. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Jacque is a devoted wife to her husband, fellow serial entrepreneur Joshua Rousselow, and a proud mother to two vibrant and adventurous boys. She continues her counseling work while homeschooling and worldschooling her children. As a family, they embrace travel, exploration, and real-world experiences—believing that life itself is one of the greatest classrooms.

How do we move students from “that was fun” to “I can see myself in STEM”? This session shares how the Science Mill builds STEM literacy through a connected pathway of field trips, Labs on the Go, STEM Discovery Clubs, camps, and teacher support. Participants will explore an activity and a simple framework for helping students connect hands-on investigation, real-world problems, STEM careers, and classroom learning. 

How can students see science as something that lives beyond the classroom? This session explores how soil, water, plants, data, and technology can serve as powerful entry points to STEM literacy and career exploration. The Science Mill will share a classroom-ready framework for turning local phenomena into inquiry-based STEM learning, with Advancing Eco Agriculture guest agronomists sharing how biology, chemistry, environmental science, data, and systems thinking show up in real agricultural careers.