2004-2005 GK-12 Program Participants

GK-12 Fellows

  Beth Dawson

Email: bethdawson@mail.utexas.edu

A native of West Texas, Beth has a Bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Texas, Austin. After working in the computer industry, she returned to school to complete an M.S. in Physiology at San Jose State University. Now a biology graduate student at UT, Beth studies the development of acoustic behaviors in frog species from Central America and Central Texas.

  Christian George

Email: cogeorge@mail.utexas.edu

Christian was born and raised in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He attended Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and majored in geosciences, with a minor in anthropology. His senior thesis was entitled "Taphonomic analysis of the fauna from Timpanogos Cave, Utah." He received a master's degree for his thesis entitiled "Quantification of wear in Equus teeth from Florida" from the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Florida.

  Barrett Klein

Email: pupating@mail.utexas.edu
Website: http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/pupating

Barrett Klein performs a perpetual balancing act between art and science, with the goal of bringing both together for educational purposes. Sometimes this precarious balance has reared its head in the form of natural history museum exhibits, other times in art galleries, and often times in scientific collaborations. Barrett appears to function by the power and influence of insects, who govern his every move. This external control is especially evident in the classroom, where every lesson is crystallized by insect stories and performances, irrespective of the subject matter at hand. Presently operating in the University of Texas at Austin’s Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Department, Barrett will attempt to uncover mysteries associated with sleep in a society of insects.

  Jennifer Lipton

Email: jenlipton@mail.utexas.edu

Jennifer graduated from UW-Madison with a B.S in Geography and a Certificate from the Institute of Environmental Studies. After being a VISTA volunteer and doing professional work in Washington State, she started her Masters in Geography at the University of Texas at Austin. Her thesis investigated the social and biophysical aspects of conservation corridors in Costa Rica. Currently, her Ph.D. research examines landscape change and conservation in the beautiful environs of the Andes Mountains of Huascarán National Park, Peru.

GK-12 Social Science Fellow

  Veronica Chapa

Veronica is a native of McAllen, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. She obtained a B.A. in Spanish and Political Science before coming to The University of Texas at Austin for graduate school. Currently, she is working toward a M.A. in Latin American Studies and an M.S. in Community and Regional Planning with an emphasis in economic development. her research is concentrated on public policy in Mexico and the impact of free trade on the border.

GK-12 UTopia Fellow

  Robin Havens Gary

Email: rhavens@mail.utexas.edu

Robin got her B.A. from UT in Spanish Civilization. She thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2001 which inspired her to head back for a masters in Geography. Currently, Robin's research at UT involves assessing human impacts and determining environmental frailty for a karst landscape containing some of the world's deepest water-filled sinkholes.

GK-12 Teachers

  Kirstin Busch

Email: kirstinbusch@hotmail.com

Kirstin worked as an environmental educator in Vermont and Ivory Coast, Africa after earning a degree in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University. These experiences inspired her to return to Iowa State to earn her teaching certificate. She has taught in AISD for six years, three at the middle school level and the past three at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy of Austin at LBJ where she teaches an innovative, sophomore-level course called Planet Earth. She received a Toyota TAPESTRY grant to incorporate GIS technology into the curriculum.

  Connolly Coyle

Email: connollycoyle@hotmail.com

Connolly Coyle recieved a B.A. in Biology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She stayed in Dallas to teach for four years before moving to Austin where she is begining her 2nd year at Covington Middle School. She will be teaching 7th grade science this year. Connolly loves to travel and go to any kind of sporting event.

  Jennifer Jordan

Email: Jennifer_Jordan@roundrockisd.org

Jennifer Jordan graduated from Texas A&M University in 1996 with a degree in biology and later received a masters of education from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. Her goal is to help students understand the living world around them and within themselves. She teaches biology from the viewpoint of contemporary issues that students encounter in their lives. She currently teachers biology in McNeil High School in Round Rock ISD.

  Lynn Kirby - Coordinating Teacher

http://www.austinschools.org/kealing/magnet/index.html

Lynn Kirby earned her B.S. in Geology from the University of Texas in Austin and has worked as an oil and gas consultant and network administrator before starting her tenure as a teacher in the Austin Independent School District. Lynn has many years of experience as a public school science teacher and currently teaches 7th and 8th grade Earth Science and Science Olympiad in the Kealing Jr. High Magnet Program.

  Andrew Lyon

Email: ALyon@austin.isd.tenet.edu

Andy received his degree in Business Administration from St. Edward's University. He has taught in Round Rock and Georgetown Texas and he is currently teaching 7th grade Science at Burnet Middle School (Austin Independent School District).

  Nancy Poage-Nixon

Email: npoageni@austin.isd.tenet.edu

Nancy received her degree in botany from UT at Austin. She was a volunteer at The Wild Basin Wilderness Park, Education Director at Austin Zoo Rescue and Rehabilitation, and settled into teaching because she loves it. Nancy is an amateur entomologist, with a high interest in genetics.

  Christel Snelson

Email: Christel_Snelson@roundrockisd.org

Christel received her B.S. in Multiple Disciplinary Sciences with a Biology emphasis at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. She currently teaches 7th grade science at Ridgeview Middle School in Round Rock. Christel developed and facilitates an after school lab program for animal care by 7th and 8th grade students. She sponsors 6th-8th grade students in a water monitoring club and an engineering club that participates in Lego robotics.

GK-12 Social Science Teachers

  Alex Hendrex

http://www.austinschools.org/kealing/faculty/hendrex/hen2.html
Email: ahendrex@austin.rr.com

Alex graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in history. At Kealing Junior High School (Austin Independent School District), he teachers American History and Amazing Discoveries.

  Lois Pierce

Email: tessier@texas.net

Lois teaches seventh grade Texas history at Covington Middle School in Austin Independent School District.

R.E.T. Teachers

  Joy Killough

Email: Joy_Killough@roundrockisd.org

Joy Killough has a B.A. in Biological Sciences and an M.S. in Biology from the University of Houston-  Clear Lake.  She has taught a wide range of students in a 24 year teaching career from elementary age to college. Shehas spent the last 12 years at Westwood High School and takes great pleasure    in teaching both Advanced Placement Biology and Accelerated Science.
 

  Christine Mihealsick

Email: cmiheals@austin.isd.tenet.edu

Chris Mihealsick has a B.S. in biology from the University of Texas at Austin. She began teaching at Crockett high school after graduating UT, and has taught there for the past two years. Chris teaches IPC, Honors IPC, and established Crockett's first science fair. Her research interests include urbanization effects on the Edwards Aquifer and the interactions between biology and geology.

Program Coordinator

  Jessica Gordon

Email: jdgordon@mail.utexas.edu

Jessica received her B.S. from Angelo State University, where she studied psychology and biology. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in geography with an emphasis in landscape ecology and biogeography. For her thesis she is integrating remote sensing, GIS, and field work to study how land-use/land-coverage influences forested habitat connectivity within a conservation corridor in northwestern Ecuador. She is also interested in watershed systems, outdoor environmental education, native plants, and teaching gardens.

Principal Investigators

  Jay Banner

Dr. Banner's research interests include the application of field, petrologic, chemical and isotopic methods to studying the chemical evolution of groundwater and ancient oceans, and the control of changing climate on these processes. Modern aquifers and ancient limestones and cave deposits provide excellent records of these processes.

  Barbara McKean Parmenter

Dr. Parmenter's research interests fall primarily within two areas: 1) historical / cultural / qualitative urban analysis, and 2) planning information systems and associated technologies for data gathering, visualization, analysis, and communication. In addition, she works to develop tools and curricula at multiple levels that enable young people (k-12), university students, and local citizens to understand and analyze the history and current condition of their communities, so as to plan more knowledgeably for the future.