Leilani Arthurs

Leilani Arthurs is an Associate Professor of Geological Sciences and Faculty Affiliate in STEM Education at the University of Colorado Boulder. She holds dual roles in the Department of Geological Sciences and the School of Education. Her research focuses on post-secondary geoscience education and broader STEM education reform, emphasizing constructivist teaching methods, novice conceptions of Earth processes, and the impact of professional development on educators. She teaches both geoscience courses (for majors and general education) and education-focused courses for pre-service and in-service teachers. Her work bridges disciplinary expertise with pedagogical innovation, addressing challenges in undergraduate STEM instruction and student learning outcomes.

Research interests include assessment design, the role of student-centered teaching practices, and leveraging technology (e.g., augmented reality) to enhance spatial skills. She has explored barriers to adopting active learning strategies and the effects of unwelcome student behaviors on instructors. Her contributions extend to developing concept inventories and promoting evidence-based instructional methods across diverse institutions.

• Awards: None explicitly listed in the provided text.
• Grants/Advising: Mentors students in geoscience education research but no specific advisee names provided. Active in securing funding for educational initiatives.
• Labs/Teams: Collaborates on projects like the ESPIn summer school for earth surface modeling and the Science Education Initiative (SEI) at CU Boulder.