aka queenbee inworld

From 1992 to 2007, I managed research outreach at the Cornell Theory Center(CTC). In that position, I worked closely with research, technical, and administrative staff to communicate the wide range of activities that go on here and to improve the public's understanding of the scientific and technological research and development that we supported. CTC research outreach programs spanned the educational community from faculty workshops to elementary school field trips. In this job, I also researched and wr0te articles describing many aspects of the science conducted at and/or leveraging the computational and human resources of the organization. And I directed design, production, and dissemination of online exhibits and science and technology outreach programs for lifelong learners, all of which now fall under the umbrella of SciCentr.org.

In 2007, CTC was phased out and SciCentr moved under the administration of Cornell's Associate Provost for Outreach and the Vice Provost for Land Grant Affairs. SciCentr was conceived as a hands-on science and technology museum built from digital bricks and mortar. Programs are now focused in online 3D virtual worlds for science communication and informal science education through the SciCentr program and it's associated science communication fair program, SciFair, and on integrated middle school education through the CyberCiv sequence of Ancient Civilization Theme worlds. In addition, we support projects in history and art.

Working with undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty at Cornell and across the country, I have been exploring the use of virtual worlds for massively multiuser online games (MMOGs). We are currently focusing our efforts in Active Worlds, while examining other technologies that provide multi-user virtual environments. The SciCentr program has a universe of virtual worlds, CUni, provided through a grant from the Cornell Office of the Provost, and also maintains two exhibit worlds in the Active Worlds educational universe, AWEDU. SciCentr Overview Movie (Windows Media Player:wmv).

After a trial program at Spencer - Van Etten High School in Spencer, NY, in 2000/2001, CTC launched a full blown SciFair component to the SciCentr program with support from the GE Foundation, Microsoft, Cornell, New York State, and regional and community organizations. SciCentr programs are featured in this Slide Overview.

I am on the Board of the Contact Consortium (CCON), focusing my interests on the VLearn3D initiative that built and supported a community of educators and researchers with shared interests in using virtual worlds for education at the turn of the Millenium. CCON is currently working on the Virtual Worlds Timeline, a historic record of this medium at http://www.vwtimeline.org .

And..., I am a card-carrying member of the National Association of Science Writers.

• 1995-2000
• 2000-2002
• 2003-2006
• Recent Activities

Biography: 
BA, Cornell, Liberal Arts 1971 
MS, Cornell, Plant Ecology 1995 

Conventional Contact Information:
Cornell Theory Center 
533 Rhodes Hall Cornell University 
Ithaca, NY 14850-3801 

Phone: (607) 254-8716 
Fax: (607) 254-8888