Outreach

We actively participate in scientific outreach and support diversity in STEM through a variety of avenues.

Public engagement

To broaden access to STEM, Joanna Kelley develops curriculum for students in collaboration with Ms. Abra Pitters for the Sweetwater High School District Montgomery Middle School. Our work is supported by a grant from L’Oreal/AAAS. We create curriculum around active research in the laboratory and videos of scientists to make STEM disciplines more accessible to students in a variety of schools at a time (middle school) when attrition is high.

Here are links to some of the videos we have created:

Tegeder lab
Cornejo lab
Kelley lab
H. Watts
J. Watts

Joel Nelson
Anthony Brown
Kerry McGowan
Scott Hotaling

We work with Neill Public Library to provide STEM activities to K-12 youth. Our most recent project was building bird feeders to participate in the 2022 Great Backyard Bird Count. See the resources our lab created below:

A flyer about the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Instructions to build your own bird feeder using popsicle sticks, glue, and string.

A guide to common birds of the Palouse, WA.

An observation journal to record bird sightings.

We participate in Skype A Scientist. If you are a K-12 teacher, sign up on the website or contact Joanna Kelley directly!

 

Members of our lab co-founded of the Evolutionary Education in the Inland Northwest (EvoEd-IN) network.

 

Our lab presents at Science After Hours in partnership with the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute.

Diversity in STEM

Joanna Kelley is involved in Women in STEM (WiSTEM) at WSU (Facebook page).

Joanna Kelley is a faculty mentor for WSU Scientista Chapter.

Media

Joanna Kelley was interviewed by The Science Runway, which fosters young women’s interest in science, STEM, and healthcare-related fields.

Joanna Kelley’s career path was highlighted by  PBS RoadTrip Nation.

 

We produce videos of scientists (targeted towards middle school students). Here are some of the first videos:

Joel Nelson (above), a Ph.D. candidate in Omar Cornejo’s lab.

 

Kerry McGowan (above), a Ph.D. student in Joanna Kelley’s lab.

Anthony Brown, PhD. Former graduate student in the Kelley Lab.

Past Involvement

We volunteered with the local Idaho Department of Fish and Game.