Susan M. Blunck

Ph.D. – University of Iowa (1987)
Associate Clinical Professor – Science Education
Director Center for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (CESTEME)
Office: Sherman Hall, A Wing, Room 433
Phone: 410-455-2869
Email: blunck@umbc.edu
Electronic Dossier Address: http://userpages.umbc.edu/~blunck/pdf/
Biography
Research Interest Areas:Teacher professional development/leadership (pre-service & in-service/domestic & international venues) – School/university partnerships – Elementary and middle school science curriculum and instruction – Science/Technology/Society (STS) teaching and assessment strategies – Cognitive and social constructivist teaching – Culturally relevant teaching practices – NCATE standards/evaluation – Elementary and middle school administration/supervision.

Dr. Blunck’s research and professional efforts have been focused on promoting excellence in science teaching by working with emerging and practicing teachers. Her primary area of research is centered on the professional development of science teachers. Believing that the professional development continuum spans the time a teacher enters a preparation program until the day the teacher leaves the profession, Dr. Blunck strives to create professional development experiences that are ongoing, teacher centered, and standards-based. Dr. Blunck created the National Diffusion Network nationally recognized and disseminated, Iowa Chautauqua Program (1987-1995); the UCEA award winning, international Egyptian Teacher Leader Program (1996-2001); the UMBC Master of Arts in Education program for practicing teacher leaders in Maryland (2002-2008); and NSF/UMBC/BCPS STEM Master of Arts in Education Pre-service Program (2004-2008). Dr. Blunck is the founding director of the UMBC Center of Excellence in STEM Education and is most currently researching K-12 STEM Academy building processes and K-12 STEM teacher development.

In her role as Associate Clinical Professor Dr. Susan M. Blunck currently is:

  • Teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in EDUC 421/623 Teaching Science in the Elementary School
  • Serving as Graduate Program Director for Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Arts in Education (MAE), Instructional Systems Development (ISD) programs which enroll the largest number of students at UMBC – Dr. Blunck was co-creator of the MAT and MAE degree programs
  • Serving as Co-PI of the UMBC/Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) STEM Project. This project supports both MAT and MAE STEM students intending to teaching at K-12 levels. The project is a National Science Foundation Mathematics/Science Partnership funded for $11 million
  • Directing the Center for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (STEM) established under the UMBC/BCPS STEM Project
  • Mentoring Ph.D. students in Language, Literacy, and Culture Program

Recent Dissertations:

  • Teresa Irish – in progress – STEM Academy Measurement Tool: Documenting the Processes Involved in Creating STEM K-12 Academies
  • Jorge Vasconcelos-Santillán – Fall 2007 – Chair – Development of a Web-Based Surveying Instrument to Identify Problem-Solving Abilities Related to Effective Instruction in Computer Programming
  • Sheila Allen – Fall 2007 – Committee Member – Joining Communities of Practice: Career Changer Teacher Identity Transitions