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About

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The San Diego Science Project (SDSP) serves both San Diego and Imperial County and is a partnership between UC San Diego and the San Diego County Office of Education.  The project is housed within the Center for Research on Educational Equity and Teaching Excellence (CREATE) at UC San Diego and works collaboratively with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Birch Aquarium.

Alec Barron

Alec Barron is the Director of the San Diego Science Project at UC San Diego CREATE.  In previous roles as a K12 science teacher, an instructional coach, and administrator, he led the design of new curricula, professional learning, and instructional coaching to support NGSS implementation.  Alec has a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Education, a Masters degree in Education, and a Doctorate degree in Leadership for Educational Equity. When not getting nerdy with science educators, he can be found on trails in nature exploring phenomena of our natural world.

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John Spiegel

John Spiegel is a 20+ year educator with a passion for science teaching and learning. Since 2013 he has worked closely with teachers, schools, and districts as they implement the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition to being a co-director of the San Diego Science Project, he is a Director of Curriculum and Instruction at the San Diego County Office of Education. John has a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. When not working directly with educators, he enjoys being in nature, finding and exploring phenomena around him.

Teacher Leaders

Marlys Williamson

Chula Vista Elementary School District

Science Coordinator

Teaching Studio Specialist

Lacy Szuwalski

San Diego Unified School District

STEAM Resource Teacher

Teaching Studio Specialist 

Melanie Villanueva

Sweetwater Union High School District

Middle School Science Teacher 

Lead Facilitator of the Community of Practice

Zoë Randall

San Diego Unified School District

STEAM Resource Teacher

Teaching Studio Specialist 

Rachel Stein Meisner

Sweetwater Union High School District

Secondary Science Teacher

Lead Facilitator of the Community of Practice

Cady Hwang

San Diego Unified School District

STEAM Resource Teacher

Teaching Studio Specialist 

Danielle Vincent Griffith

San Diego Unified School District

Secondary Science Teacher

Lead Facilitator of the Community of Practice

Camille Fowler

San Diego Unified School District

Secondary Science Teacher

Lead Facilitator of the Community of Practice

Tali Lerner

San Diego Unified School District

Science Resource Teacher

Lead Facilitator of the Community of Practice

Sarah Moynes

San Diego Unified School District

Science Resource Teacher

Facilitator of the Teacher / Researcher Collaborative

Communications Team

Ria Singhania

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Ria is an ambitious undergraduate student at UCSD pursuing a degree in International Business with a minor in Computer Science. She is the Communications and Social Media Intern for the project. Her passion for community work and designing websites has allowed her to excel here! In her free time, Ria enjoys staying active by running and soaking up the sun at the beach.

Leyna Pham

Leyna Pham is the Web/Video Production Assistant for the San Diego Science Project working towards a B.S. in Cognitive Science with a Specialization in Design & Human-Computer Interaction. Her background consists in working with those in all types of backgrounds and she loves creative problem-solving. When she’s not creating, you can find her museum hopping, playing Roblox, or playing tennis. 

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