Doris Ash

Dr. Doris Ash is an Associate Professor in the Education Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), affiliated with the Division of Social Sciences. Her research focuses on informal science learning, particularly how families engage in dialogic inquiry about life sciences in museums and aquariums. She leads the Ash Research Lab, collaborating with institutions like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Seymour Discovery Center. Dr. Ash holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley (1995), specializing in science education with a background in biology teaching across K-12 and university levels. Her work emphasizes equity in science education, sociocultural theory, and bridging informal and formal learning environments. She has published extensively on family learning dynamics, bilingual education, and museum exhibit design.

• Education: Ph.D. in Science Education, UC Berkeley (1995)
• Key Collaborations: NSF Center for Informal Learning and Schools (CILS), Exploratorium, King's College London
• Grants: NSF Career Grant (REC #0133662), AERA/IES funding

Research Interests:

• Scientific meaning-making in out-of-school settings
• Equity & access for diverse learners
• Dialogic inquiry frameworks
• Role of questions in learning conversations

Professional Contributions: Co-founder of AERA's Informal Learning SIG, advisor for museum educator training programs, and developer of the REFLECTS professional development model. Her work integrates sociocultural theory with practical methodologies for analyzing family interactions in informal learning spaces.