Experience (Research, Outreach & Design)

Office for Outreach & Engagement, University of Colorado, Boulder
Community Outreach Program Manager, January 2016 – present

High School STEM Opportunity Structures, School of Education, University of Colorado at Boulder, PI Dr. Dr. Margaret Eisenhart. Postdoctoral Researcher, February 2015 – December 2015

  • Data analysis of 4 years of interview data with students, parents, teachers and school personnel.

MacArthur Connected Learning Research Network, School of Education, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, PI Dr. Kris Gutierrez
Postdoctoral Researcher, September 2014 – Sept 2015

  • Writing and data analysis related to three years of field research on CLRN project.
  • Primary Investigator for grant funded Inventos Boulder project, a partnership with Boulder Housing Partners. Design based research with a video documentary club that supports children and families as researchers of their communities’ digital and health practices.

Research Director and Postdoctoral Researcher 2011 – 2014     

  • Conducted qualitative research (interviews, video-recorded participant observation, surveys) in homes and after school settings with Latino youth in grades 2–5 and their families.
  • Researched families’ “everyday” digital, health and energy practices.
  • Led research teams in field research, data reduction and analysis, and outreach programming.
  • Managed student research teams: graduate students (2011-12: 3, 2013-14: 7, 2014: 5) and undergraduates (2012: 3, 2013: 9; 2014: 6); recruited and hired students.
  • Wrote research reports, IRBs, presentations, posters, book chapters and journal articles.
  • Grant writing (62k from CU entities: WISE, UROP, CU Outreach); assisted with NSF, Gates Foundation and additional grants, including partnerships with CU Computer Scientists.
  • Developed and implemented STEM programming, practicum sites and multiple grant projects.
  • Managed budgets; purchased equipment for audio/video data collection, storage, and analysis.
  • Taught undergraduate courses in child and adolescent development; developed new curriculum

Wired Up Project, Utrecht University, The Netherlands,
PIs: Drs. Mariette de Haan, Kevin Leander, and Sandra Ponzanesi.
Research Associate and Arizona Project Coordinator 2010-2011   

  • Conducted survey research on youth digital practices in Arizona high schools (n=388). Wrote University of Arizona IRB for US research; Co-authoring papers.

Dissertation: Forming a Collaborative Model for Appropriating Youth Practices and Digital Tools for New Literacies Development with Latino High School Students and Teachers. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Primary Investigator 2009-2011

  • Participant observation and interviews (individual and small group) with teachers and predominately Latino students in four high school English classrooms and in digital contexts.
  • Administered surveys and questionnaires on youth practices and for feedback on research
  • Curriculum development based off of ethnographic work in classrooms and digital spaces.
  • Analyzed media taped data, interviews and multimodal artifacts; published and writing papers.
  • Co-taught high school writing course to implement new media technologies

UA for You Portal, Outreach & Extension, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
PIs Dr. Barbara Hutchinson and Dr. Sara Chavarria,
Graduate Research Assistant
, 2009-2010

  • Drupal Content Management system and interface development for collaborative UA outreach portal that aggregated outreach resources. Coordinator and teacher for faculty training sessions.

University of Arizona College of Science / Tucson GEAR UP Project, Tucson, AZ
PI Dr. Katrina Mangin, project liaison, Mary Bouley
Graduate Research Assistant, STEM Outreach Coordinator, 2007-2009

  • Designed and conducted research studies on youth technology practices:
    • Focus group interviews and questionnaires with 8th grade students at 5 middle schools.
    • Ethnographic study in an after school digital storytelling club.
  • Technology consulting; online site creation, video production and digital storytelling instruction; teacher and family professional development; online curriculum and outreach programming development.

Sonoran Desert Knowledge Exchange (SDKE) Digital Network Initiative, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ Graduate Research Assistant, 2007-2008

  • Co-designed research study Exploring the Formation and Outreach Potential of the Sonoran Desert Knowledge Exchange Web Portal to provide formative information to guide the project. Co-conducted 25 interviews with scientists, conservation workers, decision makers.
  • Co-created biodiversity curriculum, presented at teacher workshops, and produced videos on biodiversity http://podcasts.tolweb.org | com/linquiry.

Tree of Life Web Project (ToL), Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
PI Dr. David Maddison, http://tolweb.org a phylogenetic database of life on Earth,
Research Faculty / Associate, Web-based Learning Materials Editor / Coordinator (2004-2007)

Masters Thesis Research: The Green Scientists Project, (GSP): Inquiry into a School Garden and Habitat. Latin American Studies, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Primary Investigator
, 2001-2002

  • Ethnographic research and curriculum design and implementation with a 3rd grade ESL classroom that leveraged Latino youths’ “funds of knowledge” related to their histories and the local environment for academic science learning.
  • Tinker Award Research in Cuba on school gardens; interviewed teachers and state officials.

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