Consultancies & Projects
Research Evaluator – The Living Sculpture Project, Cornell University Dept. of Horticulture, August 2006 - Present. Working in tandem with the Principle Investigator, Marcia Eames-Sheavly, to evaluate the research process for 8 Cornell University students acting as facilitators of a living sculpture project at 4 sites in New York; evaluate the entire project with an emphasis on the youth-adult partnerships formed at each site; co-create pre- and post-test surveys and will conduct interviews with Cornell students, youth-adult partnership participants, analyze data, and report on the process holistically.
External Evaluator – American Meteorological Society (AMS), 2005 - 2006. Served as principal evaluator of the DataStreme Atmosphere and DataStreme Ocean hybrid online and on-site teacher enhancement courses. Interviewed (individual, group, and focus group) 20 local implementation team leaders/members and collected data from 34 team members and teacher alumni of the programs via e-mail, interviewed AMS education director and staff, transcribed taped data, and authored the preliminary report (incorporated by AMS into a funding proposal to NOAA). Additional work involved mixed method data collection, analysis, and authorship of a preliminary report for a National Science Foundation funding proposal.
Evaluation Consultant – Health Rocks and Life Rocks programs, Mississippi State Extension Service and National Council of 4-H, July 2004 - Present. Phase I - evaluated effectiveness and outcomes of the adult-youth partnerships in team-teaching the decision-making and healthy choices curriculum to younger children; conducted 13 interviews with the virtual faculty of the program, 6 formative interviews of adult participants; co-created questionnaires and collected data from 33 adult and 66 youth participants; analyzed data and created reports for periodic presentations to senior personnel of the National Council of 4-H. Phase II – evaluated Life Rocks curriculum; conducted 12 interviews with adult participants; co-created questionnaires and collected data from 35 adult and 72 youth participants; further data collection and analysis are in progress.
Consultant - National Gardening Association (NGA), South Burlington , VT , 2005. Conducted a literature search with Mrs. Marianne Riofrio concerning garden-based learning for children. Also consulted on educational programs being offered by the organization.
Co-Facilitator – Ithaca Children's Garden, Ithaca , NY , 2003. Co-facilitated three-day design workshop for the Ithaca Children's Garden (ICG) with 40 participants, including the garden staff, board members, local and regional elected officials, landscape architects and engineers, community groups, and educators. Directed intense hands-on activities to gather consensus, focus goals, explicate fundamental garden and education guidelines, brainstorm possible garden features, develop a timeline and phasing/budgeting, and report out to invited guests and elected officials.
Project Manager – Lake Snell Perry & Associates , Washington , DC, May – June 2001. Managed a study of the aerospace and defense industry for Lockheed Martin. Coordinated seven moderators in scheduling and conducting interviews with student groups, financial analysts, suppliers, think tank experts, former Congressional members, Congressional staff, personnel of the Dept. of Defense, NASA, and governmental agencies (such as FAA, SSA, FBI), and the media. Initiated calls and scheduled interviews, maintained timeline, assigned report and topline writing, handled tapes/ transcripts, and elicited sponsor support and verification.
Program Evaluator - U.S. National Parks Service and Exxon P.A.R.K.S. (Parks As Resources for Knowledge in Science) Project, September 1999 – May 2000. Traveled to select National Parks participating in a cluster evaluation of the P.A.R.K.S. project (a project linking National Science Foundation standards with activity-based research within the natural terrains and ecosystems of the parks). Interviewed park administrators, staff, and cooperating science teachers in the local school systems. Observed park visits with local school children/teachers and collected qualitative data concerning their visits. Conducted site evaluations of the parks and collected demographic information as a member of the evaluation team from The Ohio State University.
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