Dr. Carla Zembal-Saul is an Associate Professor of Science Education at Penn State University and the PI for the TESSA project (an NSF CAREER award). She earned her Ph.D. in Science Education at The University of Michigan in 1996. Her research interests center on science teacher learning, particularly the development of specialized knowledge and practices for supporting children's meaningful science learning and scientific inquiry. Most recently, she has been involved in designing electronic resources aimed at assisting elementary teachers in incorporating scientific argumentation practices into their science teaching. Zembal-Saul's work also has explored video analysis and the use of e-Portfolios with prospective teachers as a vehicle for facilitating substantive reflection on teaching practices. She can be reached at czem@psu.edu or (814) 865-1827.

Leigh Ann Haefner is an Assistant Professor of Science Education at Penn State Altoona.  She did her graduate work at Penn State where she earned an M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.  Her primary research interests include supporting prospective elementary teachers' understandings scientific inquiry, with particular emphasis on the role evidence and explanation.

Reizelie Barreto is a Ph.D. student at The Pennsylvania State University in the department of Curriculum and Instruction with specialty in Elementary Science Education. Reizelie is a highly creative, professional, and people person. Her research interests revolve around helping preservice elementary teachers learn how to teach science as inquiry with an emphasis in argumentation. In addition, she helps middle and high school girls engage in authentic science experiences and get prepared to choose science career paths. Her current teaching responsibilities are teaching science content and pedagogy to preservice elementary teachers in a science methods course.

Annmarie Ward earned her BS in Botany at Duke University, and MA in Cellular and Developmental Biology at Harvard University. She holds a secondary teaching certificate in Biology, Chemistry and Physical Science. In addition, she achieved National Board Certification in Adolescence/Young Adult Science.  Annmarie is currently completing her doctoral dissertation in Science Education.  Her research interests involve understanding aspects of content knowledge that impact elementary science teaching, and the role of guided inquiry instruction emphasizing evidence based explanation in preservice elementary teachers’ content learning. Annmarie was hired as the Associate Director of the Center for Science and the Schools at Penn State beginning in January 2007. 

Lis Boyer earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Green Mountain College in Vermont.  This experience lead her to work for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services in the Lake and River Management Program.  She began her education career working for the Audubon Society of New Hampshire as a Seasonal Program Naturalist, and went on to earn her Masters of Science in Environmental Science from Antioch University New England.  During that time she also earned her 7-12 grade Biology teacher's certification.  After graduate school she has taught high school and middle school science before reentering school herself at Penn State University where she is pursuing her Doctoral degree in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in Science Education.