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KENNESAW, Ga. | Feb 5, 2025

Kennesaw State University assistant professor Jessica Stephenson Reaves has been named to a prestigious two-year National Center for Science Education (NCSE) fellowship focused on science literacy.

Stephenson Reaves is one of seven 2024 Sound Science Fellows selected by NCSE, an organization whose mission is to ensure accurate and evidence-based science education in K-12 schools nationwide. Fellows were selected based on their dedication to science education and science teacher education, their proven ability to engage critically in research and teaching spaces, and their commitment to upholding the highest standards of scientific accuracy.

鈥淒r. Stephenson Reaves is a member of our high-quality and high-producing science education elementary faculty team in our ,鈥� said Adrian Epps, dean of the . 鈥淗er passion for environmental sciences and sustainability, as well as professional development, will certainly benefit all those she encounters as a 2024 Sound Science Fellow.鈥�

In the Sound Science Fellowship鈥檚 inaugural cohort, Stephenson Reaves intends to engage two major components of science literacy 鈥� the nature of science and science misconceptions, or 鈥渁lternative conceptions,鈥� a term that accounts for cultural differences.

The nature of science, Stephenson Reaves said, is an educational framework that considers the experimental and dynamic qualities of scientific discovery.

鈥淧art of the work with the Sound Science Fellowship is to help teachers create opportunities for students to engage in authentic science practices, which are related to how we think about what scientists actually do in real life,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ot all scientists are sitting in labs with their lab coats.鈥�

To do this work, Stephenson Reaves said the cohort will be on the ground, working in classrooms and hosting professional development workshops for teachers. Fellows will present their workshop findings to researchers at national conferences.

鈥淭he best way to increase our STEM workforce is to work on STEM in our K-12 classrooms,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he best way to improve STEM education in our K-12 classrooms is through working with districts and teachers directly.鈥�

Stephenson Reaves is excited for the opportunity, as it鈥檚 not every day that she gets to share her science education work with broader audiences. She will also continue her efforts strengthening a baseline understanding of earth and life science, her area of expertise.

鈥淲e live on this planet, so we should understand how it works,鈥� Stephenson Reaves said. 鈥淲e should understand why we have tides. We should understand why there's phases of the moon. We should understand why we have seasons. Even though those things may not affect us in the day-to-day, they affect our lives more broadly.鈥� 

鈥� Story by Amber Perry

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 色色啦. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.