I take an active interest in promoting science education not just at the University level, but for K-12 students and teachers as well. In particular, most of my outreach activities focus on engaging girls and underrepresented minorities in scientific research.
Ongoing Activities 2016- Co-Director of the DU Science and Technology Summer Camp for Girls. One week of activities and workshops for 16 girls on the University of Denver campus. Here's a wonderful video of our 2023 camp! www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyuf1gruZII Previous Activities 2023 Asbury Elementary, Denver Public Schools - Classroom presentation for ~65 Kindergarteners to enhance science curriculum on herbivore choice testing 2022 Downtown Denver Expeditionary School - Classroom presentation for ~40 Kindergarteners to enhance science curriculum on herbivore choice testing 2022 Asbury Elementary, Denver Public Schools - Classroom presentation for ~65 Kindergarteners to enhance science curriculum on herbivore choice testing 2021 Asbury Elementary, Denver Public Schools - Classroom presentation for ~60 2nd grade students to enhance science curriculum on pollination 2021 Asbury Elementary, Denver Public Schools – Virtual online learning activity for ~130 students to enhance science curriculum on spiders (COVID inspired at-home activity) 2020 Asbury Elementary, Denver Public Schools – Virtual online learning activity for ~130 Kindergarten and 1st grade students to enhance science curriculum on animal behavior (COVID inspired at-home activity) 2020 Asbury Elementary, Denver Public Schools - Classroom presentation for ~60 2nd grade students to enhance science curriculum on pollination 2019 Asbury Elementary, Denver Public Schools - Classroom presentation for ~67 Kindergarteners to enhance science curriculum on how trees defend themselves 2019 Asbury Elementary, Denver Public Schools - Classroom presentation for ~65 Kindergarteners to enhance science curriculum on herbivore choice testing 2018-19 Skype a Scientist 2016 Bella Romero Science Club, Greeley Colorado. I visited the Bella Romero Science Club and helped them with their guppy science experiments. 2015-18 Science and Technology Summer Camp for Girls, hosted by Regis University. Led activities and workshops for 15 girls for 2 days of the camp. 2015 Girls Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (GESTEM) volunteer 2014 Classroom presentation for ~25 4th graders to enhance science curriculum on predator-prey interactions at Asbury Elementary School, part of Denver Public Schools, Colorado 2013 National Science Foundation, Research Experience for Teachers. Two elementary school teachers from Denver Public Schools (Marianne Berge and Cheryl Harris) worked in my lab for 3 months to learn more about how scientists conduct biological research. 2013 DU Day of Action - Munroe Elementary School Visit to the University of Denver, workshop leader. 2012 Classroom presentations for >100 1st graders to enhance science curriculum on insect life cycles at Tollgate Elementary School, part of Aurora Public Schools, Colorado 2012 College Aspirations Readiness & Empowerment (CARE) for Black Adolescent Girls workshop leader. Sponsored by Denver Public Good Grant, University of Denver and Cherry Creek Public School System. 2011-12 Denver Public Schools/University of Denver Urban Partnership for Improving Elementary Science. Taught a short courses on Ecology to elementary grade teachers from the Denver Public Schools. This summer institute provides elementary school teachers with the science content that they need to successfully implement an inquiry-based science curriculum in their classrooms. 2008-09 Classroom presentations for >500 2nd graders to enhance science curriculum on insect life cycles at Rosemary Hills Elementary, Garrett Park Elementary and Forest Knolls Elementary, part of Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland Relevant Publications *denotes graduate student co-author Broder, E. D.ª, K. E. Guilbert, R. M. Tinghitella, S. M. Murphy, C. Ghalambor, and L. Angeloni. 2019. Authentic science with dissemination increases self-efficacy of middle school students. Integrative and Comparative Biology 59(6): 1497-1508. Lehto, W. R.*, S. M. Murphy, M. C. Vidal* and R. M. Tinghitella. 2018. Life tables, Darwin’s finches, and the dynamics of small island populations. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. University of Buffalo, State University of New York. Sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/ Vidal, M. C.*, K. Grenis*, W. R. Lehto*, R. M. Tinghitella and S. M. Murphy. 2017. Butterfly hunt: the role of density dependence in Batesian and Mullerian mimicry. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. University of Buffalo, State University of New York. Sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/ Grenis, K.*, W. R. Lehto*, S. M. Murphy, M. C. Vidal* and R. M. Tinghitella. 2017. Animals on Treadmills: Critical thinking and public perception of science. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. University of Buffalo, State University of New York. Sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/ |