Research

The NRCA's multidisciplinary research team is comprised of faculty and students from the University of Connecticut's department of Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE), Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR), and Neag School of Education.

The team’s expertise includes water resources, land use, climate science, science education, and geospatial technology.

Through our publications, presentations, and webinars, we share curricular resources, program design principles, and research on intergenerational learning in informal STEM programs, among other topics.

Read our Most Recent Article

Year	Conference	Title
2024	53rd North American Association for Environmental Education Conference	Reciprocal benefits of near-peer mentoring and community-based environmental action
2024	53rd North American Association for Environmental Education Conference	Eco-Digital Storytellers: environmental action through geospatial and media arts technology
2024	97th Annual International Conference of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching	Supporting justice-oriented and community-based environmental action through near-peer mentorship, geospatial technology, & digital media storytelling
2022	8th National Science Foundation STEM for All Video Showcase: Access, Inclusion & Equity	Impacts of intergenerational community conservation
2021	7th National Science Foundation STEM for All Video Showcase: COVID, Equity & Social Justice	Socially-distanced community conservation partnerships
2020	6th National Science Foundation STEM for All Video Showcase: Learning from Research and Practice.	Designing for intergenerational community conservation
2020	49th North American Association for Environmental Education Conference	Program design principles to support teen-adult community partnerships’ conservation efforts
2019	5th National Science Foundation STEM for All Video Showcase: Innovations in STEM Education	Intergenerational conservation STEM learning and identity
2019	48th North American Association for Environmental Education Conference	Environmental & community impacts by teen-adult partnerships
2018	4th National Science Foundation STEM for All Video Showcase: Transforming the Educational Landscape	Conservation Training Partnerships: intergenerational environmental solutions in action

Year	Journal	Title
2023	Frontiers in Education	Engaging historically excluded populations in environmental action through mentoring, geospatial technology, & digital media Storytelling
2022	International Journal of Science Education: Part B Communication and Public Engagement	Authoring STEM identities through intergenerational collaborative partnerships
2022	International Journal of Science Education: Part B Communication and Public Engagement	‘Part of our DNA': intergenerational family learning in informal science
2022	Connected Science Learning	Pivoting during a pandemic: Transforming in-person environmental STEM field programs into immersive, online experiential learning
2021	Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education	Assessing STEM identities in Intergenerational Informal STEM Programming
2021	Frontiers in Education	Program design principles to support teen-adult community conservation efforts
2021	International Journal of Science Education: Part B Communication and Public Engagement	Intergenerational community conservation projects, STEM identity authoring, and positioning: the cases of two intergenerational teams
2021	Research in Science and Technological Education	Improving NGSS focused model-based learning curriculum through the examination of students’ experiences and iterated models
2020	The American Biology Teacher	Investigating human impacts on local water resources & exploring solutions
2020	Doctoral Dissertation	STEM identity authoring: Intergenerational collaborative learning in informal STEM programs
2020	School Science and Mathematics	Conservation science and technology identity instrument: Empirically measuring STEM identities in informal science learning programs
2019	Connecticut Wildlife	Community connections through conservation
2018	Journal of Extension	Connecting generations through informal geospatial and conservation education
2018	Science Scope	From interest to identity: Creating and nurturing STEM kids in middle school

Year	Title
2021	Building Capacity for Conservation: Engaging Local Teens
2019	Data Management Webinar
2019	Enlisting Youth to Tackle Conservation Projects
2018	Introduction to StoryMaps
2018	Engaging & Mentoring the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders
2017	Poster Development Webinar
2015	Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA): Getting Young Scientists Involved in Local Environmental Projects that Benefit CT Communities

Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA)

Publications

Presentations

Webinars

Laura Cisneros

Associate Extension Professor

Nicole Freidenfelds

Visiting Assistant Extension Educator

Christopher Cane

Graduate Mentor

Students involved in NRCA research