Missy Wooley is the STEM Outreach Coordinator in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Education SciTEC (Science and Teaching Educational Center) where she plans unique and engaging experiences for K-12 teachers and students. From engineering, cybersecurity and coding, and science topics ranging from physical science to the human body, she engages students developing critical 21st century skills as they learn the importance of STEM. Having taught high school science for over 20 years, Missy is passionate about science and STEM Education. From working at the state department with the implementation of the Louisiana Student Standards for Science (Louisiana’s version of NGSS) as well as planning and running a K-5 district sponsored STEM Center, Missy engages learners of all ages to experience the beauty and wonder of STEM.
As the STEM Outreach Coordinator, I plan experiences for students Pre-K to gray. These experiences engage students in learning about the important aspects of STEM along with developing 21st century skills that will help prepare them for their future world. Experiences are hands-on/minds-on and help students understand things that are currently happening in their world in order to help them solve real-world problems. In Louisiana, everyone have been affected by cancer in some way, whether they or someone they know have been diagnosed with cancer. In SciTEC, we strive to let students learn and experience various topics. Through these experiences, we teach students how to be effective researchers in hopes that they will want to research cancer and be part of the Louisiana Cancer Research Center team one day. Education is the key to understanding. We need to reach our K-5 students and show them the benefit of effective research. I can see opportunities that we can partner with the Louisiana Cancer Research Center to make this happen.
