Meridith Bruozas is the Manager of Educational Programs and Outreach, with a focus on developing high-quality educational programs that are aligned to mission science and support the development of the next generation of scientists and engineers. She leads a highly effective team in developing and implementing on- and off-site programming that ranges from inspiring and connecting middle school youth to STEM experiences to providing undergraduate and graduate students once-in-a-lifetime internship experiences. She also focuses on developing key partnerships with local and regional organizations and school systems around STEM education. Her goal is to create high-quality connected programming that provides equitable access to all students interested in pursuing STEM from middle to graduate level.

John Domyancich is the Learning Center Lead where he works with middle and high school students and teachers to engage in scientific inquiry that highlights the work and mission of Argonne research. His goal is to inspire the next generation of Argonne scientists and provide teachers with resources and experiences that can help them develop the STEM programs in their schools.

Jessica Burgess is the Education Outreach Lead, overseeing the development and coordination of K-through-college outreach activities and STEM competitions that align to Argonne research. These informal learning experiences inspire, excite, and connect youth to STEM experiences and Argonne. She also oversees the recruitment and training of on-site scientists and engineers for the education volunteer program. As a personal goal, Jessica wishes to promote science literacy and make science accessible to everyone.

Kelly Sturner is a Learning Center Program Coordinator at Argonne’s Learning Center, where she helps middle and high school students envision potential futures in STEM fields. Each year, she helps thousands of students connect with science concepts and professionals firsthand through Learning Lab field trips, virtual escape rooms, summer camps (including Code Girls @ Argonne and Coding for Science), and the high school ESRP program. Kelly wants to help students see science as a powerful tool to understand the world with life-changing experiences.

Sharon ​“Shari” L. Knight is an Administrative Assistant and supports the planning and logistical needs of the Manager and multiple teams within Educational Programs and Outreach. She works directly with the Manager of Educational Programs to handle scheduling and related needs. She coordinates the on-site school field trips for over 4,400 middle and high school students each year and arranges the National School on Neutron and X-Ray Scattering. She also assists with gate passes, requisitioning supplies, and other important logistics within the department.

Rob Schuch is a University Partnership Program Manager who comprehensively facilitates the development and implementation of the undergraduate programs at Argonne. Throughout the year, he plans out the spring, summer, and fall undergrad internship programs, organizing both the specifics for the programs and how to best recruit participants and volunteers. For the internships, he creates a diverse set of activities including Lunch with a Researcher events, professional development seminars, and more. Rob also regularly manages and updates Education’s public website. His goal is to ensure that students can make the most of their time at Argonne through immersive programming and networking opportunities.

Jacquie Otmanski is a Learning Center Instructor for Argonne Educational Programs, and she prepares and facilitates key student programs at the Learning Center such as summer camps and Learning Labs. She is passionate about mentoring diverse youth throughout their academic journeys, so that they can grow on academic and personal levels, develop critical STEM skills, and realize and strengthen their STEM identities.

Azucena Rodriguez is a Learning Center Instructor and is responsible for facilitating on-site activities that enable middle and high school students to explore Argonne’s unique culture of innovation and collaboration in the classroom. She also works with the Department of Energy’s Visiting Faculty Program to increase the research competitiveness of faculty members and students at institutions historically underrepresented in the research community. Her goal is to motivate the next generation of problem solvers to incorporate science into their daily lives.

Bob Boomsma is the Writing Coach for Argonne Education’s undergraduate summer internship programs, helping students develop and improve their research reports and presentations. He meets with students individually and in groups to offer advice on how to properly structure and create their required reports for their internships at Argonne. His goal is to make students more comfortable and capable in presenting research, because he greatly enjoys working with students on research projects and appreciates the role of communication in presenting scientific research.

Brandon Pope is an Education Outreach Coordinator at Argonne, where he develops, coordinates, and facilitates outreach initiatives for students, schools, and science/engineering professionals for Argonne Educational Programs and Outreach. He is passionate about connecting inner-city Chicago and underrepresented students to hands-on experiences that will help them realize their potential in STEM fields.

Courtney Cutinello is a University Student Operations Coordinator at Argonne, where she coordinates with mentors to hire students into internship programs, while also collecting and analyzing student data to improve mentor-student engagement. She uses the data to improve the effectiveness of the Lab’s university programs. In addition, she provides training and support for Argonne’s Workday Recruiting Application Platform, which streamlines student processing for appointments with the Lab.

Bethany Frank is a Bioenergy Curriculum Developer, where she helps convert cutting-edge research projects into instructional materials for higher education. Her role enables students to better understand bioenergy science topics and pursue pathways in STEM fields. Bethany wants to increase scientific literacy for the general public, so people can better understand contemporary STEM-related issues and find potential solutions.

Sean Figuray is a Professional Career Intern (PCI) who assists Argonne’s University & College Partnerships Team in onboarding interns as well as implementing programming and recruitment efforts for students.

Sandy Rushdan is the Chicago STEM Outreach Specialist for Argonne, and she helps expose students in underserved areas of Chicago to STEM topics and careers that will open up new opportunities and pathways for them.