The center began in 1989 and responded to the rise of the internet, the promise of one-to-one computing, the national science education standards, high-stakes testing, massive turn-over of new young teachers, tightening budgets, and increasing competition from large corporations. In this changing landscape, our former directors and staff members made an immense impact on education locally, regionally, and globally.

Former Directors

Former Associate and Assistant Directors

Former Staff Members

  • Barry Carroll – Program Coordinator (1994-2016)
  • Karina Hassell – STEM Education Specialist (2021-2023)
  • A. Lynne Judish – Laboratory Coordinator (1991-2020)
  • Shannon Spencer – Science Education Specialist (2004)
  • Joe Staley – Graphics Specialist
  • Delia Story – Graphics Specialist
  • Jaime Whitlock – Research Associate (2003-2004)

Timeline

1990

The Center for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education (CSMATE) is launched as a shared vision of the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Applied Human Sciences by a coallition of faculty led by Dr. William Timpson. Dr. Thompson publishes CHEMTREK.

1991

Dr. Fred Stein becomes the Director and CSMATE is located in the CNS Dean’s Office in the University Services Building. The Small-Scale Science: Teachers As Researchers (S3TAR) Program begins. Ms. Lynne Judish joins the staff as Lab Coordinator.

1992

Dr. Christine Jones joins the staff of CSMATE as the Assistant Director. SummerMath Program begins.

1993

Drs. Stein and Jones join board of directors of Discovery Center Science Museum. The Rocky Mountain Teacher Education Program begins.

1994

CSMATE moves into the newly built Natural and Environmental Sciences Building with two specially designed Learning Studios. Ms. Barry Carroll joins the staff of CSMATE as a Program Coordinator. Dr. Stephen Thompson joins the staff of CSMATE as an Associate Director. CSMATE begins its partnership with Annenberg/CPB to offer distance professional development courses for teachers.

1996

Ms. Courtney Butler joins the staff of CSMATE as the Assistant to the Director.

1997

CSMATE becomes an Eisenhower National Clearinghouse Center. The COBRAS Program and the Pollution Prevention project with PETE begin.

1998

The Solutions Project begins.

1999

Dr. Stein resigns from CSU and Dr. Judy Hannah, Department of Geosciences, serves as Interim Director. Ms. Butler becomes the Director of the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair.

2000

Dr. Edward Geary becomes the new Director. The Powerful Pictures project begins.

2001

Dr. Andrew Warnock joins the staff of CSMATE as a Post-Doctoral Fellow of the Center for Learning and Teaching in the West Program and Research Scientist for CSMATE. The Digital Water Education Library project and the Center for Learning and Teaching in the West program begin.

2003

Due to tighter budgets, the College of Applied Human Sciences ends its financial support of CSMATE. The GLOBE Program begins.

2004

Dr. Geary resigns from CSU and Dr. Thompson becomes the Director of CSMATE. Dr. Warnock joins the board of directors of the Discovery Science Center. CSMATE takes over running the Summer Vet and Bugs to Biospheres programs from the Center for Life Sciences. CSMATE begins partnering with El Centro to provide space and organization of the Triunfo/Triumph Tutoring Program. The Math-Science Partnership project with the University of Northern Colorado begins.

2005

The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse Center ends. The Labtop: An Integration of Theory and Practice project begins. Dr. Paul Kennedy is appointed principal investigator of the Center for Learning and Teaching in the West and joins the staff as Associate Director.

2006

The GetWET Groundwater Field Site opens. Bugs to Biospheres changes to SciTrek: Real Science, Real Research in a Safe, Environmentally Benign & Interdisciplinary Context.

2008

World Window 3-D Visualization project begins.

2009

Center for Learning and Teaching in the West ends. Discovery Science Center closes in preparation for new building.

2010

Dr. Jones retires from CSU. Dr. Thompson goes onto transitional retirement through the Department of Chemistry. Dr. Warnock becomes the Director and Ms. Butler becomes the Assistant Director of the newly named Natural Sciences Education & Outreach Center.

2011

The EOC re-establishes the CSU chapter of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. The Get Energized! STEM Kit is developed through a mini grant from the CSU Clean Energy Supercluster (now the Energy Institute).

2012

National Park Partnership begins.

2013

  • Warnock and Butler visit schools in Hawai’i.
  • STEM Friday program begins.

2014

Tree Ring Study begins as collaboration between SciTrek and Lory State Park.

2015

  • Warnock and Butler take Anchialine Pools kit to Hawai’i.
  • Math-Science-Tech Day and Triunfo reach 25 year milestones.

2016

Annenberg program and Ms. Carroll move to the School of Education.

2017

  • Warnock and Butler take Vital Ice STEM kit to Alaska.
  • Mike Viney retires from Blevins Middle School and increases his long time role as Teacher-in-Residence at the center.
  • STEM Fridays become official component of EDUC 460: Science Methods.
  • Dr. Paul Kennedy retires.

2018

Hawaii Trip

2019

Vicky Jordan joins the center as a Teacher-in-Residence.

2020

The Colorado Science and Engineering Fair is run virtually.

2021

Karina Hassell joins the team as a STEM Education Specialist. The Colorado Science and Engineering Fair is run virtually again. Partnership with Wolf Haven International begins.

2022

SciTrek and SummerVet camps are combined into new camp called SciVet. Mary Richmond joins the team as a Teacher-in-Residence.

2023

CSU cuts the ribbon on the Spur Hydro building with significant input from Dr. Warnock. Dave Swartz joins the team as a Teacher-in-Residence. We receive a National Geographic Society Explorer’s grant to develop the Fossil Forests kit. Karina takes position at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Laura Schoenfeld joins the team as STEM Education Specialist.