About the Speakers

Jodi Asbell-Clarke

Jodi Asbell-Clarke

EdGE at TERC

Jodi Asbell-Clarke is the director of the Educational Gaming Environments group, EdGE at TERC. She worked on the early Space Shuttle Flight software, taught high school science, and has done decades of research and development in science education before current research in game-based learning.
At the Forum, I can offer knowledge about implicit game-based learning.
At the Forum, I am looking for new ideas and collaborators.

Brenda Bannan

Brenda Bannan

George Mason University

Brenda Bannan is an associate professor in Learning Technologies Design Research at George Mason University. A former NSF CAREER award winner, she is the author of numerous publications on design research in education. Her research interests include IoT systems in Smart City Contexts for team contexts.
At the Forum, I can offer design cyber-physical system-enhance situation awareness with STEM for all.
At the Forum, I am looking for multi-disciplinary research related to STEM and cyber-physical systems.

Mike Barnett

Mike Barnett

Boston College

Mike Barnett is a professor of science education at Boston College. His work focuses on the design of in and out-of-school learning environments by building sustainable and scalable partnerships with communities. The goal of his work is to enhance the interest and confidence of the underrepresented in science.
At the Forum, I can offer strategies on how to build partnerships to support student learning.
At the Forum, I am looking for approaches and strategies to best track long-term impacts on learning.

Lauren Birney

Lauren Birney

Pace University

Lauren Birney (Ed.D.) works collaboratively with STEM partners in creating K-16 STEM opportunities, defining curriculum and assessment systems, and creating pathways for Environmental and Citizen Science. As Director of the STEM Collaboratory NYC™ she leads in establishing corporate funding partners.
At the Forum, I can offer environmental restoration through citizen science and inquiry learning.
At the Forum, I am looking for collaborations and partnerships in STEM education.

James Brownlow

James Brownlow

Hattiesburg Public Schools

James Brownlow has 28 years of teaching experience in biology, chemistry, physics, and polymers education and in technology integration. He has taught at Hattiesburg High School for 12 years and just completed his seventh year of teaching polymers as a two-year Career and Technical program.
At the Forum, I can offer a K-12 teacher's views on the importance of STEM education today.
At the Forum, I am looking for information on getting industry to partner with education in teaching STEM.

Mario Cardona

White House Domestic Policy Council

Mario Cardona currently serves as the Senior Policy Advisor for Education at the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC), where his focus is primarily on k-12 education policy. Prior to joining the DPC, Mario served for more than six years as an education advisor to senior members of the United States Senate, most recently as an advisor to Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, Chairman of Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee. Mario began his career in education as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Boston’s public schools.