Dr. Vasquez is an experienced science educator, science author and professional development consultant. She is a Presidential appointee to the National Science Board, governing board of the National Science Foundation, becoming the first K-12 educator to hold a seat on this prominent board. Dr. Vasquez was recently named as the 2006 recipient of the Robert H. Carlton Award, science education’s most prestigious honor, for her outstanding contributions to, and provided leadership in, science education at the National level.

Dr. Vasquez has worked throughout her career to focus public attention on the need to improve science education for ALL students. Her distinguished service and extraordinary contributions to the advancement of science education at the local, state and national levels has won her numerous awards including National Science Teachers Association’s “Distinguished Service to Science Education Award” the  Search for Excellence in Elementary Science Education and Supervision, New York Academy of Sciences “Willard Jacobson Award” for contributions to the field of science education, NALEO (National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials) “Distinguished Service to Education,”

(CHEM) Chemicals, Health, Environment and Me, Teacher of the Year, GUSTAV OAHUS Elementary Science Teaching Award, National Environmental Association’s Teacher of the Year, in 1997 was awarded the Northern Arizona University’s Centennial Year of Science “Distinguished Alumni Award” and the 1998 was named Arizona’s Outstanding Educator.

Dr. Vasquez has served on the Board of Directors, Executive Board and as President of National Science Teachers Association.  Jo Anne has also served as Vice-Chair of the National Science Board’s Commission on 21^st Century STEM Education, Chair of the Elementary Science Teaching and Assessment Standards for the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, Executive Board Member for the National Academy of Science’s Center for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education, committee chair and program reviewer for National Science Foundation, and as a member of the board for NASA’s Classroom of the Future, National Resource Center’s LASER Project, PBS’s Scienceland, Sally Ride’s Science Academy, WestEd and National Academy of Science Leadership Mentoring Program. She has also served as President of the National Science Education Leadership Association, Arizona Science Teachers Association, and the International Council of Science Education.

Dr. Vasquez has a degree in Biology, a Masters in Early Childhood Education and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction. She has taught all grade levels, and for ten years was an associate professor of Science Education at Arizona State University. She retired from Mesa Public Schools, Mesa, Arizona, where she was the lead curriculum developer and science specialist for Mesa’s award winning elementary science program. Presently she is Director of Professional Development, Policy and Outreach for the Center for Research on Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (CRESMET) at Arizona State University.

Given her experience and depth and breadth of knowledge in science education, Dr. Vasquez is able to reach a wide variety of audiences. Classroom teachers, administrators, supervisors as well as business and industry leaders have been delighted with her motivating speaking ability and focused professional development experiences.

 

 

Sponsored by the UToledo.UTeach.UTouch the Future program (UT3*), Sunoco Toledo Refinery, The University of Toledo Judith Herb College of Education, the Coalition for Advancing Teaching and Learning in STEM (CATALyST), and The University of Toledo Science and Technology Corridor.

*UT3 is funded by the U. S. Department of Education through the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants program, Title II of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998.