Steven

About Steven

Passionate about improving STEM Literacy for all people.• Experienced at developing and launching new STEM and STEM Education programs.• Experienced with the UTeach/UKanTeach STEM Teacher Preparation effort.STRENGTHS: Activator, Context, Connectedness, Learner, IdeationI have traveled an unusual road to my current position in higher education as Director of the Center for STEM Learning at the University of Kansas. Robert Frost captures it best with, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” The road began for me in the fall of 1972, my freshman year at KU and continued through my academic program to an award winning teaching career in the Greater Kansas City area. While teaching, I lived on and managed all aspects of a tallgrass prairie nature center and served on Olathe Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; participating in leadership training and serving as Chair of a Convention and Visitors Bureau. During this time I developed summer nature and science programs in the Shawnee Mission School District that ultimately lead to the Summer Enrichment programs that continues today. During these years I was an active researcher in protein engineering for a biotechnology company. In my career I have started two not-for-profit businesses. One business, Outdoor Education Laboratory, developed into an extensive nature and science program program taking place at several sites around the State of Kansas. A second business, Pathfinder Science resulted from a negotiated intellectual property transfer with the University of Kansas. Pathfinder Science grew to involve students from 31 countries in an online research community. I have brought the lessons learned from my journey to bear on my role in the development and management of the KU Center for STEM (science, technology, engineering & mathematics) Learning on both the Lawrence and Edwards (Overland Park) campuses.

Experience

1. Secondary Science Teacher

   Shawnee Mission School District

   Aug 2022 — Present · Shawnne Mission West High School Overland Park, KS, US

   I am retiring from teaching/education.

Education

• The University of Kansas

  BSE, Biology

  1972 — 1976

• The University of Kansas

  MSE, Science Curriculum and Instruction

  1988 — 1990

• The University of Kansas

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Science Curriculum and Instruction

  1997 — 2001

Skills

• Grants
• Outdoor Education
• Instructional Design
• College Teaching
• Higher Education
• Statistics
• Instructional Technology
• Education
• Fundraising
• Habitat Management
• University Teaching
• Physics
• Science Education
• Ecology
• E-Learning
• Science
• Strategic Planning
• Environmental Education
• Community Outreach
• Educational Research
• Biotechnology
• K-12
• Theory
• Teaching
• Entrepreneurship
• Program Development
• Academic Advising
• Distance Learning
• Program Evaluation
• Data Analysis
• Student Development
• Chemistry
• Higher Education Research
• Project Management
• Laboratory
• Research
• Educational Technology
• Research Design
• Habitat Restoration
• Qualitative Research