UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kathleen Hill, director of the Center for Science and the Schools, and teaching professor of science education, will give the talk, “Center for Science and the Schools: Translating STEM Research to Improve K-12 Education,” at 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, in 112 Walker Building on the University Park campus. The talk also will be available via Zoom.
The focus of the Center for Science and the Schools (CSATS), a University-wide center with expertise in translating technical research into programs for precollege teachers and students, is on growing and broadening participation in the STEM workforce pipeline by partnering with faculty on their research grants.
In her talk, Hill will discuss ways that CSATS works with Penn State researchers and their colleagues to develop, implement, assess and disseminate STEM outreach programs.
“CSATS helps build programs that engage precollege teachers and their students in the authentic practices of scientists and engineers, in ways that are appropriate for younger learners,” Hill said. “Serving as infrastructure for research impacts, CSATS has assisted researchers with developing BI plans, writing grant proposal narratives, and securing support letters that enhance the competitiveness of grant proposals. CSATS has worked with all of Penn State’s STEM colleges, in addition to the College of the Liberal Arts and the College of Education, and multiple Commonwealth Campuses.”
Hill is a former environmental scientist and science teacher. She joined CSATS in June 2015 and her role is to collaborate with scientists and engineers to design and implement STEM education outreach programs that bridge cutting-edge science and engineering research and K-12 classrooms.
Hill received her bachelor’s degree in geological sciences from Lehigh University, her master’s degree in environmental pollution control from Penn State, and her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University.
The talk is part of the EarthTalks spring 2025 series, “Broader Impacts and Community Engagement in Research Design,” which highlights innovative and effective ways for researchers to engage more meaningfully in the research design of public impact activities for Earth and environmental systems research. For more information about the spring 2025 series, visit the EarthTalks website.