NEWS

Congratulations to our very own Selena Connealy! Last month she was named the recipient of the New Mexico Science Teacher Association's (NMSTA) 2014 Service to Science Award! She recieved her award during the NMSTA general meeting at the Soar to Greater Heights NMSTA/NMCTM,EEANM conference in Albuquerque on November 15th at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. Selena has worked tirelessly as an educator for most of her career, and she is a wonderful asset to the NM EPSCoR team through her various projects, including heading up the New Mexico Informal Science Education Network.Congrats, Selena! Here is the announcement from the NMSTA:

NMSTA is pleased to announce that our 2014 Service to Science Award Recipient is Selena Connealy ... Please join us in congratulating Selena on her many accomplishments!

Selena was the Education Director at the NM Museum of Natural History and Science and was also a key leader in the Science Education Institute of the Southwest. In both of these roles she was dedicated to providing meaningful, effective professional development for teachers in math and science. Selena has also held a leadership role in the NM Partnership for Math and Science Education for many years. Her organizational skills and understanding of the issues in science education in New Mexico have made her an effective advocate for improving science education.

Selena's has experience and an extensive network in the informal science education community. She has been critical to the establishment of the NM Informal Science Education Network and has helped to develop and deliver the ISE Net's teacher professional development program. She is also a member of the Math and Science Advisory Council for the Public Education Department and has taken a leadership role in the Collective Impact Team for Science Education facilitated by NM First. Selena has had a lasting impact on NM science education in both formal and informal settings through her work with the museum community, teacher professional development and education policy discussions and decisions.