Tejaswini Dalvi

Tejaswini Dalvi (Tej) is an Assistant Professor of Science Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She is affiliated with COSMIC, a research initiative focused on STEM integration in urban education. Her work bridges theoretical physics expertise with practical science education research, particularly in elementary classrooms.

• Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston
• Department: Department of Curriculum and Instruction
• Research Affiliation: COSMIC
• Teaching Focus: Science and Mathematics Education for Elementary and Early Childhood Teacher Candidates

Dr. Dalvi’s research centers on enhancing elementary students’ engagement in science reasoning and knowledge building through integrated science and engineering experiences. She investigates how engineering contexts support science learning in both formal and informal settings. Her work also focuses on developing professional development systems for pre-service and in-service teachers, helping them implement NGSS-aligned practices such as modeling, argumentation, and explanation. She has designed multiple graduate-level courses in science and mathematics instruction and is deeply involved in teacher preparation programs.

The recent publications reflect a strong thematic focus on engineering integration in elementary education, teacher responsiveness, and curriculum critique aligned with NGSS. Her research consistently explores how students and teachers engage with engineering design, argumentation, and modeling, particularly in urban classrooms. The use of video cases, curriculum revision tasks, and longitudinal studies demonstrates methodological diversity and depth in understanding teaching and learning processes.

Dr. Dalvi is actively involved in large-scale educational research initiatives, serving as Co-PI on multiple National Science Foundation (NSF) grants. These include projects on integrating science and engineering for community solutions, engineering thinking in elementary classrooms, and nanomakerspaces for exploring nanotechnology. She has also been a key contributor to the national Next Generation Science Exemplar (NGSX) Project since 2014, co-designing professional development pathways for K-12 teachers.

She mentors graduate students in education research, with one named advisee, Martyna Laszcz, co-authoring a publication on nanoscience modules. Her teaching portfolio includes courses such as EDCG 619 (Designing Instruction in Science), ECHD 641/441 (Science and Math Instruction), and PHYSIC 699 (Master’s Thesis Research in Physics).

Dr. Dalvi’s community engagement includes partnerships with Boston public schools and the MBTA to bring STEM experiences to students. She has led initiatives to bring nanoscience and nanotechnology into high school classrooms, expanding access to cutting-edge science topics.