Rachelle Pedersen

Rachelle Pedersen serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Texas Tech University, specializing in Engineering Education. She is a founding board member of the Cosmic Leap Foundation, a non-profit organization developing space-STEM curricula for K-8 educators, and actively contributes to STEM CORE initiatives supporting undergraduate STEM students.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. and M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus on Engineering & Science Education from Texas A&M University, complemented by a B.S. in Engineering Science (Technology Education concentration) from Colorado State University. Prior industry experience as an engineer and classroom experience as a STEM teacher inform her equity-centered research approach.

Dr. Pedersen's research investigates how motivation, mentoring, and social networks shape STEM identity development among historically underrepresented groups, particularly women and LatinX students. Her work examines how students navigate stereotypes, identify supportive mentors, and internalize scientific identities through social interactions, with implications for creating inclusive learning environments where all students can thrive.

Recent publications (2022-2024) reveal three dominant research streams: (1) social network analysis of mentorship dynamics in STEM retention, (2) development of inquiry-based engineering activities for K-12 classrooms, and (3) faculty development strategies for inclusive pedagogy. Her work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks in motivation and social psychology with practical classroom applications.

Through the Cosmic Leap Foundation, she leads outreach initiatives providing low-resource, high-impact STEM programming for underserved communities. Her advisory role in STEM CORE involves mentoring undergraduate researchers and supporting lab positions, though specific advisees are not publicly listed. Current projects focus on longitudinal studies of women's STEM major choices and community-based environmental science labs.

Dr. Pedersen collaborates with interdisciplinary teams through STEM CORE to develop virtual lab resources and teacher professional development programs. Her work integrates engineering design principles with social justice frameworks, particularly evident in projects addressing air pollution in local communities and algorithm development through game-based learning.