Elizabeth Ring-Whalen

Elizabeth Ring-Whalen is a Lecturer in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota, where she directs the Secondary Science Education program. She holds a PhD in STEM Education from the University of Minnesota, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Mary's University, and a BA in Biology from Augustana University.

Her research interests focus on STEM education in K-12 classrooms, including teacher conceptions of integrated STEM, how these beliefs impact teaching practices and student achievement, and culturally relevant pedagogy. She emphasizes student-centered learning, experiential education with reflection, collaboration, and global perspectives in her teaching. Dr. Ring-Whalen has extensive classroom experience in diverse settings, including rural Minnesota, urban Nebraska, and a small Inupiat village in Alaska. She previously served as Director of the STEM Center at St. Catherine University.

• Research priorities: Integrated STEM curriculum design, teacher professional development, cultural diversity in education
• Key teaching philosophy principles: Student-centered authenticity, experiential learning, collaborative environments, rigorous expectations

Selected awards include the 2021 NARST Research Worth Reading Recognition and 2018 Best Paper Award from the International STEM in Education Conference. She is actively involved in professional organizations like NARST, AERA, and NSTA.

Her professional contributions include mentoring pre-service teachers, developing integrated STEM curricula, and leading professional development initiatives. She collaborates with the Learning and Environmental Sciences (LES) group at the University of Minnesota, located at 1954 Buford Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108.