Lara Gengarelly

Lara Gengarelly is a State Specialist with UNH Cooperative Extension in Science Education and an Affiliate Professor with the UNH Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education. Lara received a B.A. in Biology and Science Education from Hampshire College (1993) and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Plant Biology from UNH (1999 & 2003). She has taught science in both elementary and secondary schools in New England. Gengarelly was a faculty member in the UNH Education Department (2004–2014), where she taught and supervised undergraduate and graduate preservice teachers. She designs science education projects that involve community partnerships between scientists and K–12 educators and provides professional development for educators and Extension volunteers. She also works as a science education evaluator and curriculum specialist for several federally funded science education programs designed for K-12 students and science teachers. Gengarelly’s current research investigates the underlying factors of professional development that can help educators create learning experiences that ultimately improve learners’ science literacy and attitudes toward STEM disciplines. She is particularly interested in studying how to increase the integration of authentic scientific research practices in K–12 formal and nonformal settings.