research overview
- I am interested in exploring informal STEAM education outreach interventions that elucidate intersectional education design strategies, increase access to STEAM education by minimizing the stress response. This venture involves development of media that will be shared and tested among youth in the Boulder area and beyond. We combine in-person behavioral observation and social belonging surveys with monitored stress responses to learn how stress and cultural and inclusive learning impact acute stress responses in children ages 9-13. This age range is chosen to target the development period when social values shift to prioritize peer responses, and address the age at which interest in STEM declines. I am also interested in characterizing exploratory learning behaviors in humans. Long term research approaches include the development of 1) wearable monitors for children and 2) intuitive learning tools that collect kinematic data about novel encounters.