Experts Support Our Program and the Integrated STEM Approach

Since 2002 we have engaged scientists and expert educators in the peer review of our materials. Hear some recent voices below.

Azby Brown

  • Lead Researcher, Safecast

"From the start I found the EduChange material very clear & engaging...a good balance of explanation, student-directed investigation, and hands-on labs”

Read Azby's Review

Azby Brown

  • Lead Researcher, Safecast
Read Azby's Bio

Safecast is a volunteer-based NPO that does crowd-sourced monitoring of radiation and other environmental hazards, and publishes the results as easy-to-understand interactive online maps. At Safecast, Azby is primarily responsible for research and reports on scientific findings regarding the Fukushima disaster and its consequences. He also conducts a lot of educational activities for people of all ages, writes blog posts for the general audience, and makes presentations to both experts and lay people. Azby has lived in Japan since 1985.  In 2010 he published the book Just Enough: Lessons in Living Green from Traditional Japan.

More information on Azby…

“I worked with EduChange to review new modules about radiation intended for junior high school level integrated science classes, which linked to the radiation monitoring work we are doing at Safecast. Radiation is a difficult subject to grasp even for older students, and effective visualizations and examples are important to make it easier to understand how it behaves in the environment and affects living things.

From the start I found the EduChange material very clear and engaging, with a good balance of explanation, student-directed investigation, and hands-on labs. Members of the EduChange team were enthusiastic about the subject, and welcomed my input and suggestions. The review process resulted in several highly-polished course modules.”

Beverly Ann Chin, Ph.D.

  • Professor Emerita of English, University of Montana

"EduChange provides teachers with effective, research-based literacy strategies that support students as they learn rigorous STEM content.”

Read Beverly's Review

Beverly Ann Chin, Ph.D.

  • Professor Emerita of English, University of Montana
  • Former Director, English Teaching Program & Montana Writing Project, University of Montana
  • Past President, National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
  • Consultant for College Board: AP English Literature and Composition
Read Beverly's Bio

In addition to her posts listed above, Beverly is the Former Director of Composition at the University of Montana, Missoula. She is a Board Member of the Montana Association of Teachers of English Language Arts and the Writing Coaches of Montana. In 2023 Beverly received The James R. Squire Award, a special award given to an NCTE member who has had a transforming influence and has made a lasting intellectual contribution to the profession.

Her national leadership roles have included President of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Board Member of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Senior Project Consultant for the 2011 Writing Framework of NAEP, Faculty Reviewer of Common Core State Standards, and Member of Instructional Design Team for Advanced Placement—English Literature and Composition. Beverly has received numerous awards, including the NCTE Distinguished Service Award, the Richard W. Halle Award for an Outstanding Middle Level Educator, the Rewey Belle Inglis Award for an Outstanding Woman in the Teaching of English.

More information on Beverly…

“By integrating reading strategies into the STEM curriculum, EduChange engages students in critical thinking about print and non-print texts, including graphs, diagrams, charts, prose, videos, animations, photos, 2D/3D models, and simulations. As students read these diverse texts, they increase their ability to understand, analyze, synthesize and evaluate data and resources. Students discover that different texts may have different purposes and audiences—and as a result, students become empowered in informational and science literacy.

By integrating the writing process and strategies into the STEM curriculum, EduChange helps students summarize, analyze, synthesize, and reflect on their learning. Students learn to use writing strategies, such as focusing their topic, discussing and brainstorming ideas, selecting evidence and examples to support their ideas, and using graphic organizers to plan their writing. Through revision protocols, student share their drafts with peers and learn how to provide specific, productive feedback to improve and revise their own—and each other’s—writing. As students engage in these writing strategies, they learn the STEM content more deeply because they communicate their ideas with authentic audiences.”

Camila Gómez M, Ph.D.

  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

"Integration poses a unique opportunity to navigate between what appear to be vastly different subjects, which end up not being that different...”

Read Camila's Review

Camila Gómez M, Ph.D.

  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  • Migratory Species Researcher, SELVA: Investigación para la conservación en el Neotrópico
Read Camila's Bio

Camila is a Colombian biologist interested in animal ecology, migration and conservation. Her research has centered on the ecology of migratory birds in the Neotropics and, on the importance of stopover behavior. She earned her PhD from the Universidad de Los Andes, where she worked with Dr. Daniel Cadena on understanding ecological and evolutionary processes that shape the long-distance migrations of birds. She is currently Migratory Species Researcher at SELVA. As a Rose Postdoctoral Fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, she is leading an initiative to revisit expedition sites in Colombia logged over a century ago, and to integrate historical and current data to evaluate changes in Colombian bird assemblages over the past 100 years. Camila aims to better our understanding of the nature and magnitude of changes in avian assemblages and to enhance the Colombian nationwide bird monitoring initiative.

More information on Camila…

“It was a pleasure to review the Flight Adaptations–Birds and Planes lab for STEM. I thought the materials offered were fun, interesting, compelling, scientifically sound and current. However, what struck me as really valuable and novel about The Integrated Science Program was the way students are guided through materials that integrate multiple subjects and disciplines to generate critical thinking about the world.

Classical education divides subjects and expertise, and this compartmentalization of knowledge may lead to narrow views and loss of the ‘big picture’. The integration of STEM offered by EduChange provides a refreshing change to the traditional style of teaching. Integration poses a unique opportunity for students to navigate between what appear to be vastly different subjects (e.g. biology, physics and engineering), which end up not being that different after all when addressed through a common theme such as bird flight.”

Carolyn Harris

  • Education Advisor to the Director, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Sciences

"EduChange provides high-interest, real-world situations for students to apply their knowledge in challenging problems”

Read Carolyn's Review

Carolyn Harris

  • Education Advisor to the Director, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Sciences
Read Carolyn's Bio

Carolyn Harris is a veteran experiential educator, with a special interest in improving science enrichment and equity for underserved and underrepresented teens. She is a Program Coordinator at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and Advisor to the Director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) for education outreach. The focus of Carolyn’s award-winning work is engaging teens and teachers with world-class workplaces and the real world problems they are addressing. To create these opportunities, she has worked with such organizations as the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, the White House Office on National Service, NASA, the US Army Corp of Engineers, Columbia University, Science Museum of Minnesota and the National Press Club. Her work has received recognition from the Heinz Awards, the District of Columbia Public Schools and NASA’s Public Service Medal.

More information on Carolyn…

“EduChange gives teachers a powerful resource to teach STEM concepts in an integrated and systemic way for deep student learning, and provides high-interest, real-world situations for students to apply their knowledge in challenging problems that promote college and career readiness.”

Daniel Martínez, Ph.D.

  • Staff Scientist, Research & Development, bluShift Aerospace

"The material provided an excellent mix of resources from credible websites, to vintage videos, to detailed laboratory experiments.”

Read Daniel's Review

Daniel Martínez, Ph.D.

  • Staff Scientist, Research & Development, bluShift Aerospace
  • Previously: Civil Servant, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Read Daniel's Bio

I was an environmental science professor (University of Southern Maine) for 14 years, and I taught in areas of energy, atmospheric science, and quantitative reasoning for undergraduates. I have also been actively researching and writing in the field of energy sustainability. I earned my bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Rochester, NY. Before moving into higher education, I was a civil servant at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where I studied gas-to-liquid phase changes and small particle production with a focus on alkali and alkaline earth metals. With co-author Ben W. Ebenhack, Ph.D., I published Valuing Energy for Global Needs (2015) and The Path to More Sustainable Energy Systems: How Do We Get There from Here? (2013).

More information on Daniel…

“When I reviewed materials for two labs in The Quest for Energy I, I was impressed by the organization and thoroughness of the material developed for the Integrated Science curriculum. The material provided an excellent mix of resources from credible websites, to vintage videos, to detailed laboratory experiments. Energy and fuels are so intertwined in the area of international sustainable development, it is extremely important those topics be included in 21st century curriculum.”

Daniela Neri, Ph.D., R.D.

  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Nutrition, University of São Paulo

"They think of students as critical and analytical thinkers, capable of transforming themselves, their reality and their surroundings.”

Read Daniela's Review

Daniela Neri, Ph.D., R.D.

  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Nutrition, University of São Paulo
Read Daniela's Bio

Daniela Neri, Ph.D., R.D. is a credentialed registered dietitian and postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo. She has spent part of her academic career in the field of pediatric nutrition in the U.S., studying the dietary intakes and patterns, growth, and nutritional and metabolic complications of pediatric HIV. She has a number of publications on this subject as well as other chronic childhood diseases. In 2016, she earned a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the Federal University of São Paulo. Thereafter, she was awarded a 2-year Department of Nutrition postdoctoral fellowship at Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition/Núcleo de Pesquisas Epidemiológicas em Nutrição e Saúde (NUPENS). Neri’s current research seeks to investigate children and adolescents dietary intakes and patterns, and to determine the association between ultra-processed foods consumption and obesity indicators.

More information on Daniela…

“They think of students as critical and analytical thinkers, capable of transforming themselves, their reality and their surroundings. It was a great pleasure to review Food, Nutrition & Fitness I supporting STEM education.”

David Hyerle, Ed.D.

  • President, Thinking Schools International

"And, even more rare, is that this program has an assessment system of a truly 21st century design that educators have been calling for...”

Read David's Review

David Hyerle, Ed.D.

  • President, Thinking Schools International
  • Founder, Thinking Foundation
  • Creator, Thinking Maps®
Read David's Bio

Our work around the world focuses on a sustained and scalable design for transforming schools and school systems toward explicitly developing all students’ cognitive abilities and higher order thinking, dispositions for learning, questioning, and problem-solving. Our three essential student-centered models are embedded in everyday practice in classrooms across whole schools, thus offering the foundation for “whole school” transformation. As every student becomes fluent with these practical models and tools of thinking learning across content areas and grade levels is improved, but also students’ long-term abilities to think and problem solve as independent learners and global citizens.

More information on David…

“It is rare to find a program with deep content and conceptual focus, contextualized learning through dynamic labs, and the continuous, explicit development of students’ thinking. Here it is.

Each strand of the Integrated Science Program is integrated and thoughtfully scaffolded for ease of implementation by teachers. And, even more rare, is that this program has an assessment system of a truly 21st century design that educators have been calling for, enabling teachers and students alike to clearly see how both content knowledge and conceptual learning are growing. This program has all of these elements within in a coherent structure—uniting content, processes and assessment for our young global citizens.”

Donna Poniatowski, Ed.D.

  • Master STEM Educator, elementary through university levels

"I totally support EduChange in its endeavors to place its lab-emphasized, unique, and highly student-centered program in schools everywhere.”

Read Donna's Review

Donna Poniatowski, Ed.D.

  • Master STEM Educator, elementary through university levels
  • Founding Education Board Member, National Center for Simulation
  • Past Director, National SECME
Read Donna's Bio

Dr. Donna Poniatowski is an accomplished educator with over 30 years of teaching experience in public education, urban and rural, ranging from AP and Gifted to at-risk students in an alternative setting. She was Teacher of the Year 2012, National SECME Director of the Year in 2008-09, and is a founding member of the National Center for Simulation’s Education Board. Donna has been a part of several committees and advisory panels for the State of Florida including assessment writing, standards writing, and the Office of Mathematics and Science. She was a lead curriculum writer for a 4-year Bioengineering program for an Engineering Magnet School, a 3-year Biotechnology program for middle school, and a 4-year Science Research Program. Donna has taught at the University of Central Florida, Seminole State College, UCF and the University of New Orleans.

More information on Donna…

“Integrated Science” has been one of the most misunderstood concepts for the teaching and learning of science, by teachers and by our educational leadership. I had not seen ANY integrated science program that truly integrated across disciplines until I sat down with Catherine Saldutti. EduChange has evolved an instructional design that engages teacher and student alike in its comprehensive, globally relevant, digitally-supported, and standards-aligned curriculum that meets criteria across the board. The sheer scope of integration is not only across STEM but across language arts, social studies and art (true STEAM).

EduChange approaches teacher professional development as an ongoing, in-the-field learning experience (on-the-job training) that can be immediately processed and applied in the classroom. EduChange has been incorporating research on how students and teachers learn since its inception. The EduChange program is superior in its outcome of students who can think, analyze, and actually solve problems. I totally support EduChange in its endeavors to place its lab-emphasized, unique, and highly student-centered program in schools everywhere.”

Edgardo Ochoa

  • Global Marine and Dive Safety Officer, Conservation International

"EduChange’s work is fantastic, a step-by-step guide from simple to more complicated scenarios, with a great balance of examples & references...”

Read Edgardo's Review

Edgardo Ochoa

  • Global Marine and Dive Safety Officer, Conservation International
  • Master Scuba Diver Trainer, PADI
  • Acting Scientific Diving Officer, Smithsonian Institution
Read Edgardo's Bio

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, Edgardo moved to La Paz to study Marine Biology at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur. He founded the first scientific diving program at CICIMAR-IPN in La Paz, Mexico. Edgardo co-authored several publications on various topics regarding The Sea of Cortez, to include: the white tip shark; range extension of Psammocora stellata; sedimentation of coral reefs; the reefs of Cabo Pulmo; Rodoliths; the impact of climate change on nearshore biodiversity; and monitoring artificial reef structures in La Paz. He has additionally published papers on scientific diving, dive safety and dive training. In addition to the posts listed above, Edgardo is consultant and instructor for Scientific Diving at UABCS, diving consultant for the Parque Marino Cabo Pulmo in The Sea of Cortez, and Unit Diving Safety Officer at Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.

More information on Edgardo…

“Writing case studies or educational materials is an intimidating task for me. EduChange knows what to do! I reviewed Sustainability in The Sea of Cortez, where I spent many years working as a marine scientist and scientific dive expert. EduChange’s work is fantastic, a step-by-step guide from simple to more complicated scenarios, with a great balance of examples and references, good enough to awaken the reader’s/student’s interest to go deep, or to go in different directions—without losing track of the main topic. Definitively a different and reliable way to learn!”

Emily Khouphongsy

  • Senior Engineer – Safety & Crashworthiness, Toyota Research & Development, North America

"EduChange allows students to connect with the science and reality of their environment in an interactive way.”

Read Emily's Review

Emily Khouphongsy

  • Senior Engineer – Safety & Crashworthiness, Toyota Research & Development, North America
Read Emily's Bio

Emily Khouphongsy serves as a Senior Engineer in Crashworthiness at Toyota Research and Development North America.  Emily is responsible for the advanced development of passive safety technology and future safety strategy.  Her responsibilities include research collaboration with organizations such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and various universities.  She also supports the development of new technologies, which has included receiving two patents, and helps to clarify Toyota’s passive safety roadmap.  Emily joined Toyota in January of 2009, after completing her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University.  She began her career in crashworthiness for North American vehicle development, transitioning to crashworthiness advanced development in 2017. Additionally, Emily serves as a collegiate advisor for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), as well as a Toyota liaison for SWE and the Society of Automotive Engineers. Emily is currently pursuing her Masters in Evangelism and Leadership from Wheaton College.

More information on Emily…

“EduChange allows students to connect with the science and reality of their environment in an interactive way. The educational material provides students an opportunity for analytical thinking as well as personal application.”

[Emily reviewed an engineering design challenge lab entitled Reducing Teen Mortality Rates: Safe Vehicle Designs & Healthy Driving Behaviors.]

Emmanuelle Lerat, Ph.D.

  • Chargé de recherche, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)

"They try to provide the students with both playful examples and practical exercises to make them touch what we, scientists, are doing every day.”

Read Emmanuelle's Review

Emmanuelle Lerat, Ph.D.

  • Chargé de recherche, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
  • UMR 5558 Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, University Lyon 1
Read Emmanuelle's Bio

My major research interest concerns the evolution of genomes in the light of their repeat content and more particularly the transposable elements (TEs). I have a strong background in molecular biology, in evolution, and in bioinformatics, with a long history in the annotation and analysis of TEs in various eukaryotic genomes. I am currently coordinating different subjects allowing to link informatic to biological questions concerning the functional impact of TEs on genome and gene evolution. I have been a member of the Editorial Board of the international SMBE journal “Genome Biology and Evolution” since 2008.

More information on Emmanuelle…

“Understanding evolution is particularly important to understanding the living world and how global changes can affect all species on earth. It is thus very important for young school kids to be familiarized with these “not so easy to get” concepts. In its approaches, EduChange provides accurate and up-to-date materials. The lessons they propose are of very high levels that will allow school kids to achieve high skills in this domain. They try to provide the students with both playful examples and practical exercises to make them touch what we, scientists, are doing every day. Moreover, review of the materials by professional scientists from various institutes and countries is a real guarantee of quality. Globally, I was really impressed by the quality of the lessons I reviewed.”

Fernanda Rauber, MSc, Ph.D.

  • Post-doctoral research fellow, Dept. of Nutrition, University of São Paulo

"EduChange gives teachers the tools to delivery fundamental concepts that are grounded in the contextual reality of their students.”

Read Fernanda's Review

Fernanda Rauber, MSc, Ph.D.

  • Post-doctoral research fellow, Dept. of Nutrition, University of São Paulo
  • Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition/ Núcleo de Pesquisas Epidemiológicas em Nutrição e Saúde (NUPENS)
Read Fernanda's Bio

Fernanda is a public health and nutrition researcher, working on the potential effects on health of ultra-processed foods. She is a nutritionist and has a PhD and MSc in Health Science, where her research focused on maternal and infant nutrition and public health. She worked at the Ministry of Health (Brazil) where she was part of the team that developed the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population. She is currently a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of São Paulo where she is leading a research project on the influence of the ultra-processed food consumption of health in the UK population.

More information on Fernanda…

“EduChange gives teachers the tools to delivery fundamental concepts that are grounded in the contextual reality of their students. I was impressed by how well the team led the material development process. They were very open to feedback and keen to have the materials reflect the most recent science. The team was particularly concerned about including authentic material and delivering knowledge to promote learning through a variety of formats. This collaborative work gave our team the opportunity to think about how our research could be part of students’ curricula.”

Isabela Fleury Sattamini

  • Ph.D. Candidate, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo

"My experience with EduChange has shown me their commitment to science and education, and their interest in learning continually.”

Read Isabela's Review

Isabela Fleury Sattamini

  • Ph.D. Candidate, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo
  • Researcher, Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition/ Núcleo de Pesquisas Epidemiológicas em Nutrição e Saúde (NUPENS)
  • Researcher, National Cancer Institute, Brazil
Read Isabela's Bio

I am a public health nutrition researcher and advocate. My main subjects of interest include dietary diversity, the role of ultra-processed foods in human health (NOVA classification), food security, plant-based diets, and public policy analysis. Currently I am a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Public Health, University of São Paulo where I am a member of the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition (NUPENS). Since 2014, I have worked as a researcher for the National Cancer Institute, Brazil, developing research, educational activities and public policies on food, nutrition and cancer prevention. I earned my Masters in Science degree in Public Health and Environment at the National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Fiocruz. My thesis focused on food security and concluded in 2013. I graduated with an degree in Nutrition from the University of State of Rio de Janeiro in 2011.

More information on Isabela…

“Knowledge is the key to human societies and I have always been interested in learning in different subject areas. While pursuing my academic career, I find it particularly interesting to share and construct knowledge with various groups outside academia, to interact with people who have a distinct background or are part of a certain age group. My experience with EduChange has shown me their commitment to science and education, and their interest in learning continually. I believe EduChange meets its purpose with its expertise in some of the most difficult areas for educators to address, including: STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), teaching and assessing 21st century skills, supporting diverse learner profiles, and systematizing literacy across the content areas. I have witnessed their serious engagement with their tasks, and I am proud to have taken part in such a project. I hope we can bring this to different parts of world, including Brazil, soon.”

Jay McTighe

  • Education Consultant, McTighe and Associates

"The EduChange science curriculum is conceptually sound, authentically rigorous and genuinely engaging—I think the term ‘elegant’ is in order!”

Read Jay's Review

Jay McTighe

  • Education Consultant, McTighe and Associates
Read Jay's Bio

Jay McTighe has authored or co-authored 14 books, including the award-winning and best-selling Understanding by Design series with Grant Wiggins.

Jay has also written more than 35 articles and book chapters, and been published in leading journals, including Educational Leadership (ASCD) and Education Week. He is a regular speaker at national, state, and district conferences and workshops and has made presentations in 47 states within the United States, in 7 Canadian provinces, and internationally in 36 countries on six continents.

More information on Jay…

“The EduChange science curriculum is conceptually sound, authentically rigorous and genuinely engaging. In fact, I think the term ‘elegant’ is in order! My commendation to you and your team for developing this rich curriculum.”

Lucy Reading, Ph.D.

  • Lecturer and Researcher, Queensland University of Technology

"I thought the case studies were fantastic examples of the water-related issues and the related assessment tasks were well designed.”

Read Lucy's Review

Lucy Reading, Ph.D.

  • Lecturer and Researcher, Queensland University of Technology
Read Lucy's Bio

Dr. Lucy Reading is a lecturer and researcher at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. Her teaching discipline is Environmental Systems and her Areas include: hydrogeology, hydrology, environmental chemistry, and groundwater management. Lucy has 14 years of experience working in Queensland on water monitoring and modelling projects. Lucy’s experience includes groundwater and unsaturated zone modeling; soil and water chemistry; environmental regulation of the coal seam gas industry and groundwater monitoring. Her employment history includes laboratory, government and research roles. From 2003 to 2012, Lucy was a Hydrologist, Senior Hydrologist and then Team Leader within the Queensland Government. In 2013 and 2014, Lucy was applying her expertise in geochemical interpretation and numerical modelling to a number of research projects funded by the Centre for Coal Seam Gas at the University of Queensland. She moved to QUT in 2015 and is currently working on research projects related to groundwater management in urban areas and transport of solutes from groundwater to surface water (in the “Great Barrier Reef” catchments). Lucy teaches undergraduate science and engineering students and supervises a team of postgraduate students (“the Groundwater Taskforce”).

More information on Lucy…

“I really enjoyed reviewing the water related teaching materials in Environmental Dynamics I. I have a real passion for STEM education, and particularly water education, and I was impressed with the quality and rigour of the educational materials that I reviewed. I thought the case studies were fantastic examples of the water-related issues and the related assessment tasks were well designed.  Overall, I thought that the materials would be very effective in teaching key scientific principles relating to water monitoring and management. In addition, I believe that completion of these modules would help to spread awareness about global water issues.”

Maria Alvim Leite

  • Ph.D. Candidate, Preventive Medicine, University of São Paulo

"beyond taking care of their own health, adolescents can become multipliers of health promotion practices in their homes and communities”

Read Maria's Review

Maria Alvim Leite

  • Ph.D. Candidate, Preventive Medicine, University of São Paulo
  • Researcher, Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition/ Núcleo de Pesquisas Epidemiológicas em Nutrição e Saúde (NUPENS)
Read Maria's Bio

I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in Preventive Medicine at the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil. My research project is entitled Contextual effects on adolescents food consumption and nutritional status: a study at São Paulo’s schools, oriented by Dr. Renata Levy. I am also a researcher at the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (NUPENS), coordinated by Dr. Carlos Monteiro, also at the University of São Paulo. I earned my Master’s degree in Public Health at Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Brazil, in February 2017. Also I worked as an editorial assistant at the World Public Health Nutrition Association (WPHNA) Journal from 2014 to 2016. I graduated with an undergraduate degree in Nutrition from UFJF in August 2014, and also studied at the University of Porto (Portugal) in 2013.

More information on Maria…

“Youth education is key to reducing inequalities and to global progress. The STEM education program from EduChange conveys updated content that has been peer reviewed by very serious and committed research teams. All content is transmitted to the youth by a critical, participatory and empowering teaching methodology. Regarding the topics within Food, Nutrition & Fitness, with which I assisted in the review, their importance is underscored by having students apply what they learn to health issues. And beyond taking care of their own health, adolescents have the potential to become multipliers of health promotion practices in their homes and communities.”

Melissa Yeoh BC

  • Sustainability Relations Team, Golden Agri Resources

"They allow students and teachers to have the most updated info from expert resources globally, seeking information from what real practitioners do.”

Read Melissa's Review

Melissa Yeoh BC

  • Sustainability Relations Team, Golden Agri Resources
Read Melissa's Bio

Melissa Yeoh BC is part of the Sustainability Relations team in Golden Agri Resources (GAR), specializing in international stakeholders engagement for this Southeast Asian agribusiness. She has over 11 years of experience in the palm oil industry, working on sustainability matters in both upstream and downstream roles such as trading, international NGO (WWF Malaysia), compliance, and mergers & acquisitions. Currently she is helping to lead a peatland restoration project in Borneo, Indonesia by spearheading the legal and finance operations on the team. Melissa is a reader with the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Sustainable Leadership, and earned an MBA for International Business with the University of East London. She is professionally accredited with APINDO Indonesia’s Industrial Relations Certificate Programme, formerly worked for WWF Malaysia, and holds a degree in biotechnology from the University of Tasmania. This unique combination of credentials offers a valuable perspective working with local communities in the field, business strategy in the office, and agriengineers in the lab.

More information on Melissa…

“Integrating STEM education is an important exercise as it promotes balanced views to the students and educators. The methodology uses different innovative and critical thinking to analyze the pressing matters of the industry. It stresses to the students why science education is important and how will it apply to the real working world. The EduChange Integrated STEM materials enable both students and teachers to exchange empirical and analytical views on the environment, the forest, and commodities. They allow students and teachers to have the most updated info from expert resources globally, seeking to get information from what real practitioners do.”

Neha Khandpur, ScD

  • Post-doctoral research fellow, Dept. of Nutrition, University of São Paulo

"The team at EduChange is doing a great job at integrating the most current, evidence-based, knowledge into their STEM curriculum”

Read Neha's Review

Neha Khandpur, ScD

  • Post-doctoral research fellow, Dept. of Nutrition, University of São Paulo
  • Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition/ Núcleo de Pesquisas Epidemiológicas em Nutrição e Saúde (NUPENS)
  • Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Read Neha's Bio

My research interests broadly focus on the influence that policies and environmental factors have on food choices and lifestyle behaviors and how these may be leveraged to create healthier nutrition environments and prevent chronic diseases. I use qualitative and experimental methods to estimate the influence that food policies, like nutrition labels, have on consumer understanding and food selection. I also use epidemiological methods to study associations between food consumption, particularly of ultra-processed foods, and chronic disease risk in nationally representative surveys in Colombia and in cohorts of adults and children in the US, the UK, and India. I earned my Masters’ degree at the University of Bristol (UK) where I studied Nutrition, Physical Activity and Public Health. My doctoral degree in Public Health Nutrition and Obesity Epidemiology, was completed at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health (USA).

More information on Neha…

“The team at EduChange is doing a great job at integrating the most current, evidence-based, knowledge into their STEM curriculum and presenting it through engaging formats that encourage learning.”

Nicolle Zapien, Ph.D., Ed.M., LMFT #46946

  • Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

"Tools that teach us how to learn deeply in all contexts are psychologically impactful and meaningful in transforming lives and communities”

Read Nicolle's Review

Nicolle Zapien, Ph.D., Ed.M., LMFT #46946

  • Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Professor, School of Professional Psychology and Health, California Institute of Integral Studies
Read Nicolle's Bio

Dr. Zapien oversees seven professional clinical training programs and five community psychotherapy training clinics as well as the field placement department at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Dr. Zapien spent over a decade as the VP of a marketing research company and later as the president of her own consulting and research firm, designing, managing teams and conducting research studies and program evaluations for Fortune 500 businesses, start-ups and non-profit clients. Dr. Zapien’s first career, in K12 education, included spending five years in public urban education teaching in the Mission district of San Francisco. She is the author of two books: Clinical Treatment Directions for Infidelity:  A Phenomenological Perspective and Ethical Experience.

More information on Nicolle…

“EduChange offers a thoroughly well-thought out and creative approach to depth-oriented STEAM learning, including all aspects of differentiation, formative assessment and the integration of current primary source materials and deep inquiry.  But what is most compelling is that they are teaching teachers and students to improve their executive functioning and creative problem solving, which can be applied more generally. These are tools that teach us how to learn, and how to learn deeply in all contexts. This particular aspect of the EduChange system is psychologically impactful and meaningful in transforming lives and communities.”

Pushker A. Kharecha, Ph.D.

  • Climate Scientist & Deputy Director, Climate Science, Awareness, and Solutions Program, Columbia University Earth Institute

"It is vital that current and future young people become properly educated on the issue of human-caused climate change”

Read Pushker's Review

Pushker A. Kharecha, Ph.D.

  • Climate Scientist & Deputy Director, Climate Science, Awareness, and Solutions Program, Columbia University Earth Institute
  • NASA Goddard Institute for Space Sciences
Read Pushker's Bio

Dr. Pushker Kharecha is a climate scientist whose interests encompass a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. His primary motivation is conducting policy-relevant scientific research. Although his doctoral work related to astrobiology and the Earth’s primeval biosphere, when he joined NASA GISS and Columbia Earth Institute in 2005 he shifted his focus to human-caused climate change. His research focuses on the human dimensions of the global carbon cycle, including the impacts of fossil fuel use and land use on climate. He is particularly interested in analyzing empirical data on energy and land use and developing climate change mitigation scenarios.

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“Scientific evidence accumulated over many decades by thousands of researchers all over the world reveals very clearly that human-caused climate change is an urgent and existential threat to human society and natural ecosystems. It is therefore vital that current and future young people become properly educated on this issue, as they are the group who will be most impacted. The climate science education materials developed by EduChange can make a valuable contribution to this goal. They are thorough, scientifically well-grounded, and well-organized, and they can provide students a valuable understanding of the essentials.”

Sandra Phoma

  • Ph.D. Candidate, Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics (CMEG), University of Pretoria

"I will continue to support EduChange because it is a game-changer for how scientists can disseminate their work to middle and high schoolers”

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Sandra Phoma

  • Ph.D. Candidate, Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics (CMEG), University of Pretoria
Read Sandra's Bio

Sandra is a South African microbial ecologist interested in marine ecosystems. Her PhD project, under the supervision of Dr. Makhalanyane, encompasses ocean microbial communities (e.g. bacteria, archaea, viruses and more). Briefly, she studies ‘who’ lives in the ocean, ‘what’ they are doing and ‘how’ they contribute to nutrient and energy fluxes. This work is important because the ‘unseen majority’ are the base of the ocean food web and drive biogeochemical cycling. She combines oceanography and genomics to uncover environmental variables that affect microbes. This study has provided insight in using microbes for ongoing monitoring of the Southern Ocean, an area subject to significant environmental change due to climate change. This project has allowed her to mentor undergraduate and postgraduate students, and to carrying out logistics and planning of scientific voyages. She is currently embarking on incorporating advocacy and her research to develop sustainable efforts to ensure good ocean health.

More information on Sandra…

“I was selected to review materials from Genetic Unity and Diversity I. I found the curriculum exciting and scientifically sound. I was also impressed that the content (i.e., websites and interactives) incorporated current research trends, such as citizen science involving the human microbiome. The thorough material considered for the lab activities was indicative of EduChange’s commitment to ensure students harness their curiosity and develop interests for different STEM fields. As a scientist who uses multidisciplinary approaches for my research, it was inspiring to know that students are capable of doing this pre-university because I was not exposed to this format of education in my formative years. I will continue to support EduChange because it is a game-changer for how scientists can disseminate their work to middle and high schoolers. I am honoured that I was considered for this opportunity as I was able to re-imagine high school all over again.”

Suzanne Yoder, M.D., M.P.H.

  • Fellow, American College of Surgeons

"The most valuable thing you can teach a child is HOW to learn! EduChange modules teach skills that prepare students for life-long learning.”

Read Suzanne's Review

Suzanne Yoder, M.D., M.P.H.

  • Fellow, American College of Surgeons
  • Pediatric Surgeon, Cardon Children’s Medical Center (Mesa, AZ) & Weatherby Locums
Read Suzanne's Bio

Suzanne is a pediatric general surgeon who works per diem and locums tenens jobs. Having this flexible schedule has allowed her to pursue her passion of providing care in underserved areas of the world. She currently raises funds to run an annual trip to Haiti through her organization, Single Steps International, and continues to partner with other organizations serving underserved children throughout the world. Suzanne serves as a Board Member for Girls on the Run, Los Angeles County, advocating for health, fitness and empowerment for girls.

More information on Suzanne…

“The most valuable thing you can teach a child is HOW to learn! The EduChange modules incorporate essential curricular material but more importantly, teach skills that prepare students for life-long learning. The material spurs curiosity and teaches students how to creatively problem solve and pursue answers, ultimately offering a deeper understanding of the material.”

Yunn-Hwen Gan, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore

"well designed and relevant to daily life…the curriculum also integrates environmental and social awareness and responsibility into the discussion”

Read Yunn-Hwen's Review

Yunn-Hwen Gan, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
  • Adjunct Research Associate Professor, Mechanobiology Institute
  • Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute at Defence Science Organization
  • Supervisor, NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS), National University of Singapore
Read Yunn-Hwen's Bio

Yunn-Hwen Gan graduated from Purdue University with a BSc (Honours) in Molecular Biology and University of Wisconsin-Madison with a PhD in medical microbiology and immunology. She is a world leading researcher in melioidosis, a disease primarily in the tropics caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. She established the first mucosal animal model in 2002 and had helped define the field by examining pathogen’s virulence as well as the host immune response to the disease. Her lab discovered a regulatory cascade that coordinately controlled two bacterial secretion systems which are absolutely critical for bacterial virulence. Other seminal findings include the discovery that the pathogen could infect plants and glutathione deficiency is the reason for increased disease risk to melioidosis for Type 2 diabetic patients. Her laboratory also works on identifying bacterial virulence factors of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae responsible for causing liver abscess, which is prominent in Asia. Meanwhile, studies are underway to define the gut and liver immune responses to the disease. Her team is also working with local and international collaborators to identify novel compounds and strategies to counteract multi-drug resistant and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

More information on Yunn-Hwen…

“It has been my pleasure to participate in the review of the teaching documents in the Health, Drugs and Disease strand on the immune system against pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. I am pleasantly surprised by how well the topics are integrated together in the curriculum and presented in an interesting and relevant way to the 14-year olds. The laboratory component is well designed and relevant to daily life, provoking the students to keenly observe their surroundings and to apply what they learn to daily activities, including activities in the kitchen. The curriculum also integrates environmental and social awareness and responsibility into the discussion, such as on the topic of the action of antibiotics and how misuse of these drugs could drive antibiotic resistance, and the consequence of that on health and disease. I think developing the curriculum around major topics that are in the news and that impact everyday life is a very good way to change how STEM education can be advanced in many different countries.”

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