The Schoolyard SITES project team is multidisicplinary reflecting the multidisiciplinary nature of this innovative partnership model. For questions about the overall research study and professional development model contact Lara Gengarelly (lara.gengarelly@unh.edu). For questions about applying to the program please contact Megan Glenn (megan.glenn@unh.edu).
The Schoolyard SITES Team
Lara Gengarelly, Principal Investigator
Gengarelly is the Scholyard SITES project director and is responsible for the oversight of the project, including project design, work plan, and administration. In addition, she co-leads the professional development and research teams.
Gengarelly is a Science Literacy State Specialist with UNH Cooperative Extension and an Affiliate Associate Professor with the UNH Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education. Her current research investigates the underlying factors of professional development that can help educators create learning experiences that ultimately improve K-12 students’ science literacy. She has a PhD in Plant Biology. Prior to her current appointment, she was a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at UNH for 10 years. She has expertise in K-12 science professional development for teachers, curriculum design, and program evaluation. She was Co-PI for the NASA-funded Engaging Students in the Science of Climate Change. Gengarelly has worked as both an elementary and high school science teacher.
Malin Clyde, Co-Principal Investigator
Clyde, leads the development of the recruitment and selection process of the Schoolyard SITES Extension Science Volunteers, contributes to the design and implementation of the professional development model, and advises teacher/volunteer partners in the selection of locally-relevant citizen science programs.
Clyde is the Community Volunteer State Specialist and the Program Manager for Nature Groupie at UNH Cooperative Extension. Her current work focuses on increasing capacity for the stewardship and study of lands and waters in New England, including increasing the use of citizen science in environmental research (including use of best practices); new methods and tools for mobilizing non-traditional stewardship and citizen science volunteers; the use of collaborative networks and collective impact to increase stewardship and citizen science in New England; and development of volunteer training modules in stewardship and citizen science. In 2013, Malin started the Stewardship Network: New England, now called Nature Groupie, an initiative that employs collaboration and technology to empower generations of outdoor enthusiasts to volunteer for nature in New Hampshire and beyond. She has a M.S. degree from the University of Washington College of Forest Resources.
Erik Froburg, Co-Principal Investigator
Froburg is responsible for leading the development of the the Schoolyard SITES professional development workshop series and co-facilitating the professional development workshops.
Froburg is a Project Director at the UNH Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education. He works directly with K-12 STEM teachers, primarily in the area of Science Education, on a number of professional development activities that the Leitzel Center conducts. His particular focus has been promoting authentic research by students through intensive teacher professional development programs, and by providing schools with more direct access to scientists and contemporary research tools. Froburg is Co-PI for the Creative Computing Challenge (NSF-EPSCoR Track 3) and Capitalizing on Digital Tools to Expand Environmental Literacy around Coastal Resources (NH Sea Grant) projects.
Sameer Honwad, Co-Principal Investigator
Honwad leads the Schoolyard SITES research team, including the overall research design, methods, and analysis of the findings.
Honwad is an Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences, SUNY Buffalo. Honwad’s research focuses on environmental decision-making processes and how students merge different knowledge systems to make sustainable environmental decisions pertaining to their everyday life. Honwad is currently one of the research leads on the Back to the Earth project (ITEST-NSF# 1139657) and on the SPIRALS project (ISE-NSF- 1223703). He also previously worked on other NSF-funded projects at the New York Hall of Science and Penn State University. Along with his research, he has conducted professional development for teachers in several different parts of the U.S. and South Asia.
Haley Andreozzi, Senior Personnel
Andreozzi assists the recruitment and selection of the Schoolyard SITES Extension Science Volunteers from existing Extension volunteer programs, provides wildlife and wildlife monitoring expertise to teacher/volunteer partners, and contributes to the design the professional development workshops.
Andreozzi is the Wildlife Outreach Program Coordinator for UNH Cooperative Extension, and oversees two well-established science volunteer programs: the NH Coverts Project (trains community volunteers to conduct outreach in wildlife habitat and sustainable forestry) and the Speaking for Wildlife Program (trains volunteers to give wildlife-themed presentations and nature walks in New Hampshire communities). She is also a team member of Nature Groupie with expertise in developing volunteer training curricula and providing technical assistance for wildlife-related citizen science projects. Prior to her work with UNH Cooperative Extension, she was a high school teacher of environmental science. She has an M.S. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from UNH.
Megan Glenn, Senior Personnel
Glenn is the Schoolyard SITES Project Manager. She organizes the overall coordination of the Extension volunteers and teachers, assists during the professional development workshops, and supports the research team.
Glenn is the STEM Docent Program Manager for UNH Cooperative Extension and coordinates and trains the docent volunteers as well as manages the programming in K-12 schools and programs. The current STEM Docent program focuses on inner city youth, immigrant, and groups otherwise underrepresented in STEM. Participant volunteers include current and retired K-12 teachers, industry employees, and scientists. She has an M.S. in Marine Biology from UNH.
Schoolyard SITES
Schoolyard Sites is made possible by the National Science Foundation (NSF Grant No. 1721133) and in partnership with the UNH Leitzel Center.
