Researcher, Scientist, Mathematics Educator, Connector, Learner, Team Builder, Maker, Explorer, Traveler, Mother, Follower, Leader - Always Curious!
Full Professor with an active research program, university research center director, mother to two young children, spouse, coach, amateur musician, . . . Julie has experience and expertise in making it work without sacrificing personal happiness and health. She is currently leading a program to support women scientists in the Gulf Coast region and is passionate about supporting women in managing their work and life goals.
Over the past decade Julie provided professional development courses and workshops for school district personnel at various levels from administration to preservice teachers. She has served as personal adviser to regional superintendents and principals. She has supported mathematics and science teacher development in five different states. Programming includes working toward to the Common Core and creative methods for growing creativity and innovation in a STEM settings both in and out of school.
Julie has been awarded over $10 million dollars in grants to support research in STEM education. She is also a National Science Foundation Early CAREER Award recipient. She has served as mentor for junior faculty members at all levels of the grant writing process: developing ideas, designing methods, timelines, protocols, and revising and resubmitting proposals.
Julie is the founding Director of CISSTEM: Center for Integrative Studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at the University of South Alabama. She holds a doctoral degree in Mathematics Education, a master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, and a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Chemistry.
Julie has created and led large research programs over the last decade. A sample of these include (1) Leading and studying professional development for mathematics faculty in higher education, (2) Directing an out-of-school interdisciplinary STEM program for middle school students and their families, (3) Examining and assessment very young children's intuitive understanding of fraction concepts through interviews, (4) Studying teachers' use of handheld and mobile technologies in the classroom, (5) Designing interdisciplinary lessons for middle school classrooms, and (6) Developing a research program to help organize and align undergraduate programs in engineering. Prior to this position, she earned a Full Professorship during her tenure at the University of Southern Mississippi. She has authored over 35 publications, including book chapters, journal articles, monographs, and technical reports with national publishers and professional journals in mathematics education, STEM education, and teacher education. Julie has made more than 60 research presentations at international and national conferences.
