CV
ROBERTA H. HUNTER, PhD
robertahhunter@gmail.com 609.915.9595
EDUCATION
PhD Learning Sciences, Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University
Advisor: Rebecca Jordan
Committee: Ravit Golan Duncan, Carrie Ferraro Rutgers University
Kathryn Stevenson North Carolina State University
Dissertation: Educator environmental literacy: A mixed-methods study of behavior, identity, and practices.
MS Environmental Education, Southern Oregon University
Dr. Steven Jessup, advisor
Thesis: The Integration of Environmental Education into the K-5 Curriculum: A Case Study
Siskiyou Environmental Education Center Graduate Fellowship
BS Psychology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS/EMPLOYMENT
2020-present Research Associate Michigan State University, Department of Teacher Education
2014-2016 County Agent (Associate Professor equivalent) Rutgers University, Department of 4-H Youth Development
TEACHING
Fall 2019 Educational Psychology Rutgers University
Spring 2018 Educational Psychology Rutgers University
Fall 2017 Environmental Education and Communication Rutgers University
Spring 2014 Informal Science Education Rutgers University
Fall 2013 Informal Science Education Rutgers University
PUBLICATIONS
Hunter, Roberta H. and Jordan, Rebecca. (2019) The TELA: A new tool for assessing educator environmental literacy. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 15(1).
Hunter, Roberta H. and Jordan, Rebecca. (2021) “I have a little, little, little footprint on the world” and “I’m not political”: Feelings of low self-efficacy and the effect of identity on environmental behaviour in educators. Environmental Education Research.
Hmelo-Silver, C., Jordan, R., Eberbach, C., and Hunter, Roberta H. (2021) Multidimensional trajectories for understanding ecosystems. Science Education
Hunter Roberta H. and Jordan, Rebecca. (2022) The effects of educators' level of environmental literacy on their issue identification practices. Environmental Education Research.
Hunter, Roberta H. and Richmond, G. (2022). Theoretical diversity and inclusivity in science and environmental education research: A way forward. Journal of Research in Science Teaching
Hunter, R. H., Wang, H., Nelson, B., and Bhattacharya, D. (2022). The global climate change knowledge and practices of 4-H and Extension youth educators. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
Hunter, Roberta H., Kenimer, E., and Richmond, G. (in review, for International Journal of Informal Science and Environmental Learning). Informal science educator professional identity: Perceptions of NGSS, work with teachers, and the centrality of place.
Hunter, Roberta H. and Jordan, Rebecca. (2023). The effects of educators’ level of environmental literacy on their view of student environmental literacy and perceived barriers. Journal of Sustainability Education.
Hunter, R. H., Kenimer, E., and Richmond, G. (2023). Informal science educator professional identity: Perceptions of NGSS, work with teachers, and the centrality of place. International Journal of Informal Science and Environmental Learning.
Richmond, G., Hunter, R.H., Tukurah, G., and Tal, T. (in press). Communities of practice and the elevation of urban elementary teacher discourse about critical pedagogy of place. Cultural Studies of Science Education.
AWARDS AND HONORS
2014 Outstanding Environmental Educator, Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
2021 Psi Upsilon Social Impact Fellowship $ 1,000
2020 National Science Foundation DRK12 CADRE Postdoctoral Fellow
2018 Rutgers AAUP TA/GA Professional Development Fund $ 668
2017 Rutgers AAUP TA/GA Professional Development Fund $ 925
2015-2016 Faculty Grant, New Jersey Water Resource Research Institute $10,000
2013-2015 Pre-doctoral Leadership Fellow, $ 2,000
Rutgers University Pre-doctoral Leadership Development Institute
2013 GSE Graduate Fellowship, Rutgers University, Fall 2013 $ 9,000
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2019 Research Assistant Rutgers Women's Initiative project - Women in Computer Science
Worked on quasi-experimental, multi-methods research project investigating attrition of women in Computer Science program. Collected and analyzed survey and interview data.
2018-2019 Research Assistant USDA-NIFA Multistate Funds Nonformal Educator Environmental Literacy Project
Recruited participants for a study of nonformal educator environmental literacy, then administered quantitative online assessment and follow up interviews.
2016-2018 Graduate Assistant NSF Grant Mathematical and Computational Methods for Planning a Sustainable Future II
Wrote teacher materials for using system representation assessment and assessments for each curriculum module. Coordinated communication and consent process with field-test teachers for research purposes. Analyzed student artifacts for model complexity and content.
2015 – 2016 Principle Investigator Knowledge and Action on Non-point Pollution
Secured funding, developed, and coordinated all aspects of research for prototype exploring the effect of a problem-based learning professional development program on educator environmental literacy.
2015 – 2016 Principle Investigator Informal Educator Beliefs about How People Learn
Developed and coordinated all aspects of qualitative research program exploring what informal educators in multiple settings believed about how people learn.
CONFERENCE ACTIVITY/PARTICIPATION
2023 Richmond, G., Hunter, R. H., Tukurah, G., Tal, T. (2023). Communities of Practice and The Elevation of Urban Elementary Teacher Discourse About Critical Pedagogy of Place. ESERA 2023 - 15th Biennial Conference of the European Science Education Research Association
2023 Hunter, R.H., Richmond, G. Exploring Urban Educators’ Entry and Early Trajectories into Place-based and “Place-powerful” Teaching and Learning. Session, NARST 2023 Annual International Conference.
2023 Demarse, M., Hunter, R.H., Pshenichny-Mamo , A. “It’s Still Not Too Late to Change”: Climate Change and Its Representation in Natural History Museums. Poster, NARST 2023 Annual International Conference.
2022 Hunter, R.H., Kenimer, E. Informal Science Educators’ Values: The Role of Place and Content. Poster, North American Association for Environmental Education 2021 Research Symposium.
2022 Hunter, R.H., Reid, A., Stapleton, S., Braun, S., Zimmerman, T., Caplow, S. Experienced Researchers’ Advice for Early Career Folks. Session, North American Association for Environmental Education 2022 Research Symposium.
2022 Caplow, S., Hunter, R.H. Bridging Possible Pathways: Collaborations in Environmental and Science Identity Research. Session, North American Association for Environmental Education 2022 Research Symposium.
2022 Lawson, D., Hunter, R.H., Hecht, M., Looking Forward: Issues and Cross-Cutting Questions from EE Practitioner Perspectives. Session, North American Association for Environmental Education 2022 Research Symposium and North American Association for Environmental Education 2022 Conference.
2022 Hunter, R., Richmond, G., Bayer, I. The power of virtual platforms to support teacher learning and community development for urban outdoor science teaching. In related paper set Centering Place-Based Education for Teaching Science Outdoors in Urban Contexts. NARST 2022 Annual International Conference.
2021 Building Sense Of Place And Community In A Virtual Space. Poster, North American Association for Environmental Education 2021 Research Symposium.
2021 A Meeting of the Minds—Experienced Researchers’ Advice for Early Career Folks. Moderator for session, North American Association for Environmental Education 2021 Research Symposium.
2021 An Inclusive Model of Theoretical Rigor in Environmental Education. Session, National Association for Research in Science Teaching 2021 Annual International Conference.
2021 Designing Learning for Just and Resilient Climate Action. Symposium paper, National Association for Research in Science Teaching 2021 Annual International Conference.
2020 Academic Writing. Roundtable, NAAEE Research Symposium Graduate Student Gathering.
2020 Design-based research for urban outdoor science education. Presentation, NAAEE 2020 Research Symposium, Virtual. (Video link to follow)
2020 A Study of Educator Environmental Literacy in New Jersey: Reporting Back. Session, Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education Winter Conference.
2019 Teacher Environmental Literacy in a Professional Development Program, Poster, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2019 Professional Development Workshop for Graduate Students or Early Career Professionals in EE . Facilitated Discussion, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2018 Research Lessons: Working with Teachers and Schools. Facilitated Discussion, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2018 Developing an Assessment for Teacher Environmental Literacy. Poster, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2018 An Environmental Literacy Roundtable. Session, Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education Annual Conference.
2017 Teacher Environmental Literacy: Why It’s Important, How to Assess it. Session, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference
2017 Assessing Sustainability Learning in Math Classrooms Using Systems Representation Tools. Poster, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2017 Assessing the Environmental Literacy of Teachers: A Novel Instrument. Poster, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2016 Skill Builder: Pros and Cons of Using Qualitative Research Software: Our experience. Session, Co-presenter, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2016 What do out-of-school science educators believe about how people learn? Poster, Rutgers Graduate School of Education Student Research Symposium.
2015 Assessing Environmental Literacy Quantitatively and Qualitatively. Session, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2015 Environmental PBL for Professional Development. Poster, North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Research Symposium
2015 What Kind of Scientist RU? Session, Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education conference.
2015 Using the Six Strands of Informal Science Education. Session, Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education conference.
2014 I wonder why? Using interest and inquiry in youth-led research. In-person and virtual sessions, Northeast Regional Volunteer Forum 2014
2014 In-school 4-H Clubs: Three Different Models. Lightning presentation, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Annual Conference.
2014 Research Is Elementary! Student-directed Science Research in the Elementary Classroom. Session, Co-presenter, National Science Teacher Association Annual Conference
2014 Personal meaning maps as classroom summative assessment. Poster, Rutgers Graduate School of Education Student Research Symposium.
CAMPUS OR DEPARTMENTAL TALKS
2021 Partnering Culturally Responsive Teaching and Place-Based Science Education, Moderator STEM for All Multiplex
View at https://bit.ly/3AdL1Z5
2019 Educator Environmental Literacy: the Intersection of Dispositions, Behavior, and Practices. GSE, Rutgers University
View at https://bit.ly/2m73xBz
2018 Developmentally Appropriate Environmental Education The Watershed Institute
2016 Assessing Environmental Literacy GSE, Rutgers University
2017 Social Issues in the Science Classroom GSE Teach-in, Rutgers University
2015 Using Qualitative Methods for Effective Evaluation 4-H Youth Development, Rutgers University
SERVICE TO PROFESSION
Teachers and Teaching, Reviewer, 2024
Environmental Education Research, Reviewer, 2019 - 2024
Cognition and Instruction, Reviewer, 2023
Applied Environmental Education and Communication, Reviewer, 2017-2020
Natural Sciences Education , Reviewer, 2017
North American Alliance for Environmental Education
Reviewer, NAAEE 2013 , 2017-2020 Conference
Reviewer, NAAEE 2016 - 2022 Research Symposium
National Association for Research in Science Teaching
Reviewer, NARST 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024 Conference
Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education
Director of Advancement, 2010 – 2013
Advisory Council, 2008 – 2010 term
Vice Chair for Programs and Presenters, 2009 and 2010 Conference Committee
Auction Coordinator, 2008 Conference Committee
Exhibitor Coordinator, 2003 Conference Committee
SERVICE TO COMMUNITY
Psi Upsilon Foundation Member, Social Impact Fellowship Steering Committee
Lawrence Township Public Schools Member, World Language Audit Committee
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve Member, Education Committee
DEPARTMENTAL/UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Postdoctoral Association, Michigan State University
2020 Michigan Postdoctoral Research Symposium Committee
Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University
2019 Teaching Portfolio Development Committee
2015-2016 Course of Study Committee,
2017-2018 President, GSE Student Affairs Committee
2018 Coordinator, GSAC Student Writing Support Group Program
2018 Mentor, First-year Interest Group Symposium
Department of 4-H Youth Development, Rutgers University 2014-2016
SET Mission Mandate Working Group
Volunteer Management Committee
Social Media Task Force
Youth Safety Task Force
Search Committee, Ocean County 4-H Associate
Non-Academic Employment
2024 Education Program Manager New Jersey Audubon, Bernardsville, NJ
2016-2017 Technical Writer New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Trenton, NJ
2010 – 2013 Director of Advancement (Volunteer) Alliance for NJ Environmental Education, Bernardsville, NJ
2010 – 2013 Garden Educator Lawrenceville Elementary School,
Lawrenceville, NJ
2007 – 2013 Research Resident, Student Investigative Project Princeton Public Schools, Princeton, NJ
2004 – 2013 Sole Proprietor Acorn to Oak Environmental Education Consulting, Lawrenceville, NJ
2003 – 2004 Environmental Education Specialist The Watershed Institute, Pennington, NJ
2001 – 2012 Naturalist-in-Residence Johnson Park School, Princeton, NJ
1999 - 2001 Education Specialist, Outreach Specialist National Aquarium in Baltimore
1997 Educator National Audubon Society Ecology Camp for Teachers, Greenwich, CT
1996-1997 Intern, Outreach Educator Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Philadelphia, PA
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS
North American Association for Environmental Education
National Association for Research in Science Teaching
Science Educators for Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice