EEd Seminar: UF Center for Precollegiate Education and Training (CPET): Research-Education Partnerships

Details

Hybrid Option: Zoom Link ( https://ufl.zoom.us/j/93266326094)
Please join us 30 minutes early to enjoy refreshments and great company before the seminar begins.

Mary Jo Koroly, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Precollegiate Education and Training Academic Affairs, University of Florida

Abstract:
A quick look at some innovative and fun ways to connect K-12 teachers and kids with UF faculty and students in a variety of programs offering STEM literacy, laboratory instruction, research-related experiences, and career explorations in authentic research environments will be presented. Outcomes designed to enhance content knowledge, inspire and prepare college and career paths, foster community engagement, disseminate research advances, and provide professional development opportunities for all participants will be discussed. UF CPET’s mission to create, coordinate, and administer programs and/or to collaborate with researchers on discipline-specific projects by providing infrastructure, pedagogical expertise, and a 65-year history of productive interactions with departments across campus and schools across Florida will be discussed. Invitations to share your expertise with potential future colleagues (and voters) will be offered!

Bio
Dr. Mary Jo Koroly is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine and the Director of the Center for Precollegiate Education and Training (CPET). With a distinguished career spanning academia, research, and STEM education leadership, Dr. Koroly has been at the forefront of developing innovative educational programs that bridge research and teaching across multiple disciplines. Dr. Koroly earned her B.A. in Biology from Rosemont College and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Bryn Mawr College. She completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Minnesota before holding faculty positions at Bryn Mawr College and Harvard Medical School. Since joining the University of Florida in 1979, she has served in various leadership roles, including CEO of the Florida Foundation for Future Scientists and Director of the Biotechnology Education and Training Program at the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research.
Her research and educational initiatives focus on curriculum development in biomedical sciences and STEM education, including teacher professional development, translational science education for precollege students, and experiential learning for underrepresented groups. Dr. Koroly has led the design of STEM curricular modules that integrate research with classroom learning, and she has co-authored numerous publications in STEM outreach and education. She has also contributed to broadening participation in STEM through programs funded by the National Science Foundation, NIH, and other agencies. As the founding director of UF’s Biotechnology Education and Training Program, Dr. Koroly has facilitated laboratory-based workshops for thousands of educators and students. She plays an active role in developing Broader Impacts for NSF-funded projects and continues to shape the future of STEM education through interdisciplinary collaborations and mentorship.