Elaine Marhefka is pursuing her PhD in Education with a focus in curriculum and instruction. She has a Masters’ degree in Elementary Education from the University of New Hampshire. Currently she is an adjunct professor for the education department at UNH and teaches a community-based outdoor program in Barrington, NH. She is passionate about expanding the classroom into communities and the outdoors. Her research interests include creativity, community-based and place-conscious education, social identities, science education, experiential and project-based learning and feminist theory.