A research experience for teachers (RET) with concurrent support for lesson design

Linda received her Ph.D. in June 2000 in the field of neurophysiology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NYC), where she dedicated her doctoral studies to understanding the molecular underpinnings of complex, emergent brain function, including how humans learn, remember, and store and retrieve information. She then pursued a five-year postdoctoral fellowship in the Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA. Linda's primary research interests in biomedicine have ranged from understanding mechanisms of neuroplasticity in the mature nervous system, to understanding how brain circuitry is established during embryogenesis. Since 2006, Linda's professional interests have expanded to include developing models to address science education reform directives. As the founding Scientific Director of Coastal Marine Biolabs, her efforts have focused on the creation of a unique and dynamic environment in which scientists are empowered to develop, implement, and assess novel instructional strategies that place students at the center of cutting-edge scientific discovery and at the intersection of science domains, while continuing to pursue their passion for basic research. Linda has played a principal role in establishing a private, state-of-the-art biosciences laboratory in Ventura Harbor capable of supporting this wide spectrum of interrelated research and educational activities. Her role as Co-PI on federally sponsored education innovation awards has resulted in the formation of an extensive collaborative partnership model that supports integrative teaching, learning, and research across a diversity of life science domains, including neuroscience, comparative functional genomics, and biodiversity genomics. These efforts have also led to the creation and dissemination of curriculum materials and open-access technology resources aimed at bridging science research and science education. She has also worked with some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms on the design of educational and scientific resources that aid physicians and scientists in communicating their clinical and research findings to a diversity of target audiences. Linda is a consummate outdoor adventurer and fitness enthusiast who enjoys sailing, backpacking, rock climbing, and mountain biking. She has an intrinsic fascination with the sea and has lived aboard her sailboat since 2003.

Ralph developed a passion for science through his childhood explorations of nature in and around Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. He received his M.A. in behavioral neuroscience from the Department of Psychology at Bucknell University (PA), where he worked collaboratively with his mentor on the design of a new neuroscience survey course and conducted research aimed at identifying the brain pathways that control ultrasound production and other forms of reproductive behavior in mammals. During his subsequent doctoral studies at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NYC), Ralph redirected his focus of study to nervous system development and the identification of molecular navigational cues that direct spinal cord hardwiring during embryonic development. He then traveled to the West Coast to conduct postdoctoral research – which began at the Department of Biological Chemistry at UCLA/Howard Hughes Medical Institute – and continued in the Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (La Jolla, CA). During his postdoctoral studies, Ralph’s research interests in neuronal connectivity expanded to include education research. He is the founding Executive Director of Coastal Marine Biolabs Integrative Biosciences Institute, a non-profit science center and learning laboratory that was founded in 2006 to help bridge the gap between science research and high school science education. Since 2011, Ralph has served as the primary investigator on three federally sponsored education research awards from the National Science Foundation (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers program) and the National Institutes of Health (Science Education Partnership Award program). Each of these projects give high school students early exposure to the collaborative nature of science inquiry and early membership into the scientific community as real data contributors. Outside of the lab, Ralph is a martial arts practitioner, coastal sailor, SCUBA diver, and outdoor/fitness enthusiast who devotes much of his free time to mountain biking, hiking, and backpacking in the west coast hills, canyons, and forests.

Born and raised in Ventura, CA, Darcy earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Teaching at the University of California, San Diego. It was there that she discovered her love of working with students and teaching science and math. Upon graduation, she immediately began her career in education by teaching at Foothill Technology High School (FTHS) in the Ventura Unified School District and earning a teaching credential from California State University, Channel Islands. During her formative years teaching math and science, her emerging roles in leadership motivated her to earn a Masters of Arts in Educational Leadership Policy Studies through California State University, Northridge. She continued to develop her skills as an Educational Leader through her roles as Activities Director, Bioscience Academy Director, and Science Department Chair at FTHS. In 2008, Darcy partnered with Coastal Marine Biolabs (CMB) on a three-year National Science Foundation ITEST Strategies project rooted in biodiversity genomics. As the project rapidly expanded to schools around the country, Darcy was appointed as Project Coordinator to help support a nationally distributed network of participating teachers and students. She currently serves as the Project Manager for two of CMB's programs: the Barcoding Life's Matrix program (which currently receives annual support from the Amgen Foundation), and the NeuroLab project. She is also the College, Career and Media Center Coordinator at Foothill Technology High School and Principal of Duffy's Book Biz. Darcy's passion for providing transformative learning opportunities to students is heightened by her desire to create a better education system for her two young sons.

Kristin has over 20 years of experience in teaching and educational research. As the Director of Research Development at Rockman, she is responsible for proposal development, research and evaluation, funding, and research trends. Kristin is actively involved in evaluations for the National Institutes of Health’s Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program, as well as projects within the National Science Foundation’s Education and Human Resources Directorate (e.g., AISL, ITEST, DRK-12). Kristin has a B.A. in Psychology from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Education and Psychology from the University of Michigan. Her papers have been published in a number of peer-reviewed journals and books, including Cell Biology Education-Life Sciences Education, the Journal of Science Education and Technology, the Journal of the Learning Sciences, and the Journal of STEM Outreach. She is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of STEM Outreach. Prior to joining Rockman, Kristin was a postdoctoral fellow at the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh, and the Berkeley Evaluation and Assessment Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Kristin is a fan of children’s literature, theatre, and very bad puns.