---

---

I was born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and a Master of Arts in Science Teaching from East Carolina University, where I was a Noyce Scholar. I worked as a high school science teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina for several years before moving to Laramie, Wyoming to pursue a Ph.D. After four years in the mountain west, I graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in Science Education with minors in quantitative research and environment and natural resources. As a graduate student, I took advantage of several opportunities and was fortunate to travel all over the world to learn about science and the best practices for teaching science. Now that I've been in Mobile, Alabama for several years, I've gotten used to life along the gulf coast and I love exploring all of the science that this area has to offer. My research focuses on three areas: 1) P-16 students‚ (including pre-service teachers) conceptual understanding of the Earth and weather sciences; 2) preservice teachers' understanding of the Next Generation Science Standards, and 3) Equity in science education.