Meet the NSTA Leadership
Dr. Patricia Simmons, President, 2011–2012
Patricia Simmons, professor and head of the Department of Math, Science, and Technology Education at North Carolina State University (NC State), is president of NSTA. She began her one-year term on June 1, 2011.
A life member of NSTA, Simmons has a long and distinguished history in science education. Before joining NC State University in 2008, Simmons was the Orthwein Professor of Life-long Learning in the Sciences at the University of Missouri/St. Louis Science Center, Professor of Science Education at the University of Georgia, and a public school science teacher in Missouri.
Simmons served on the NSTA board as research division director from 2002 to 2005, served as chair of both the NSTA Development Advisory Board and the NSTA Foundation Task Force, and was a member of the NSTA Awards Recognition Task Force. She was the lead organizer for the NSF/NSTA Research Agenda in Science Education project; editor of NSTA’s Assessment in Science book; and was a member of the Author/Editorial Board for the Journal of College Science Teaching, Science Scope, and Science Teacher journals. Simmons helped form a guiding strategy document as a member of the NSTA Strategy 2005 team and received two Ohaus Awards for Innovations in College Science Teaching. Simmons is also a regular presenter at NSTA and National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST) conferences.
Along with her commitment to NSTA and science education, Simmons has also served in many distinguished positions with other leading science education organizations. She is a past president of the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE), former secretary for the Council of Scientific Society Presidents, and a former National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) board member. She has participated in a number of panels and plenary sessions, and served as the principal investigator on multimillion-dollar grant projects awarded by NSF and the U.S. Department of Education.
Simmons holds a Ph.D. in science education from the University of Iowa, an M.A. in biological sciences from the University of Missouri, and a B.S. from Southeast Missouri State University.
Dr. Karen L. Ostlund, President-Elect, 2011–2012
Dr. Karen L. Ostlund is retired from the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, where she was the director of Uteach/Dell Center for New Teacher Success. Currently, she serves on the advisory council for the Natural Sciences Center at the University of Texas at Austin and is an adjunct professional developer at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley. She began her one-year term as president-elect on June 1, 2011, and will assume the office of president on June 1, 2012.
A dedicated and passionate member of the science education community, Ostlund brings more than 35 years of leadership and teaching experience to NSTA. She began her professional career as a classroom teacher in Minnesota before moving to Texas to become a professor of science education at the University of Texas at Tyler. In 1985, Ostlund left the University of Texas at Tyler to accept a position as professor of science education at Texas State University. Before joining the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin in 2002, Ostlund was the director of the Science Education Center at the University of Texas at Arlington.
An NSTA life member and recipient of the NSTA Distinguished Teaching Award, Ostlund has contributed extensively to the association. Ostlund has served on the advisory board for NSTA’s Science and Children journal, worked on the program committee for the 1998 NSTA Area Conference in Albuquerque, and was the local arrangements chair for the 1995 NSTA Area Conference in San Antonio. Additionally, she was a contributor to the 1997 resource book, NSTA Pathways to the Science Standards; has presented annually at NSTA conferences since 1984; and was a member of the Children's Book Council.
Ostlund's devotion to science education is also evident by her involvement in numerous other professional organizations and contributions to the field. Before becoming president of the Council for Elementary Science International (CESI) in 1997, Ostlund served on the organization’s board of directors. She has also served on the board of directors for the Informal Science Education Association of Texas from 2000 to 2002 and authored several books, chapters, textbooks and journal articles on a variety of topics in science education.
Ostlund was the recipient of the 2006 Skoog Cup and the 2004 Texas Council of Elementary Science Rebecca Sparks Elementary Science Award. Her other awards and accomplishments include receiving the You Make a Difference Award from Eanes Independent School District in 1998; the 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Kenosha Bradford High School Alumni Association; the 1989 TEA Award for Promoting Educational Innovation; being honored as “favorite professor” by the Alfred Nolle Chapter of Alpha Chi; and being named a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activity.
Ostlund earned her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education, M.A. in elementary education and Ph.D. in education from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Dr. Alan J. McCormack, Retiring President, 2011–2012
Dr. Alan J. McCormack, professor of science education at San Diego State University (SDSU), in San Diego, California, is the retiring president of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).
McCormack has been a committed teacher, educator, and member of the science education community for more than 40 years. Prior to joining SDSU in 1987, McCormack was a professor at the University of Wyoming, the University of British Columbia, and State University of New York (SUNY), New Paltz. McCormack was also a research educator at Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, and was a middle level science teacher in New York state.
A life member of the NSTA and a former district director, McCormack is also very active with elementary science education. He is a past president of the Council for Elementary Science International (CESI), an NSTA affiliate group dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in K–8 science education, and has also served on a number of key NSTA committees including the Teacher Education Committee and the Science and Children Advisory Board. McCormack is the author of 70 journal articles, 12 science textbooks, three science handbooks, and has been a presenter at several NSTA national and area conferences since 1978. In 1990, he was presented with the NSTA Distinguished Teaching Award. McCormack has also received the NSTA Gustav Ohaus Award for Advancement in Science Education, the NSTA-STAR Award, and the NSTA Ohaus Award for Innovations in College Science Teaching. The Wyoming Science Teachers Association (WSTA) also recognized McCormack with the Excellence in Science Teaching award in 1986.
In addition to his work and lifelong commitment to NSTA, McCormack has served on the board of directors for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and was president of the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT). He was instrumental in the development of the Full-Option Science System (FOSS) and was director of the Foss Leadership Training Center for several years.
McCormack holds an undergraduate degree from SUNY, a master's degree in natural sciences from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in science education from the University of Northern Colorado.
Dr. Francis Q. Eberle, Executive Director
Dr. Francis Q. Eberle is the executive director of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the world's largest professional organization representing science educators of all grade levels.
Before joining the association’s staff in September 2008, Dr. Eberle served as executive director of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving mathematics and science education in that state. During his time there, he worked to develop state curriculum frameworks and provide professional development and resources to schools and teachers throughout Maine.
Prior to joining MMSA in 1993, Dr. Eberle was an adjunct faculty member of the University of Southern Maine, where he taught prospective elementary teachers. Eberle also founded and was executive director of the STAR Foundation, a nonprofit organization that produced science education materials and offered informal science experiences for students.
For more than a dozen years, Dr. Eberle taught middle and high school science in Maine. He served as president of the Maine Science Teachers Association (MSTA), as well as on several boards, advisory groups, and committees for various state and national organizations, including the National Alliance of State Science and Mathematics Coalitions (NASSMC), the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE), and the Maine Space Grant Consortium (MSGC).
A renowned researcher in the science education community, Dr. Eberle is the lead or co-lead on numerous research projects underwritten by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education on a host of collaborative science and math education reform initiatives. Eberle’s research has focused on integrating engineering into the high school curriculum, training inservice teachers, mentoring new teachers, involving parents in science and math, and integrating technology into the science and math classroom.
Dr. Eberle has also published extensively for the science and mathematics communities. He coauthored the popular NSTA Press® book series Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, and he has contributed extensively to many scholarly journals on key aspects of science teaching and learning. He has also served as keynote speaker at numerous NSTA area and national conferences.
Eberle has been honored for his service to science education. He has received MSTA’s Philip Marcoux Memorial Award for outstanding service to science education and was recognized by the Maine Department of Education with its Alan M. Argondizza Award for outstanding service to elementary science education. Before he joined NSTA, Maine’s House of Representatives and Senate issued a proclamation recognizing him for his 20 years of dedication to science and math, and he also received a commendation from Maine Governor John E. Baldacci.
Eberle holds a doctorate in educational studies from Lesley University, a master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Connecticut, and a bachelor’s degree in science education from Boston University. He lives in McLean, Virginia, with his wife Diane and daughter Charlotte.