Megan Ennes, curator of museum schooling on the Florida Museum of Pure Historical past, has been named a 2024-2026 analysis fellow by the Nationwide Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Drugs. Ennes was chosen as a fellow in schooling analysis via the Nationwide Academies’ Gulf Analysis Program.
The Early-Profession Analysis Fellowships program helps rising scientific leaders as they tackle untested analysis concepts, pursue distinctive collaborations and construct a community of colleagues who share their curiosity in advancing the security of the offshore power system and bettering the well-being of coastal communities and ecosystems.
The 5 fellows becoming a member of the Schooling Analysis observe will contribute to the development of science, STEM and environmental schooling within the Gulf of Mexico area or Alaska by contemplating the impacts of creating sense-of-place in formal or casual studying environments.
“We welcome these proficient fellows and stay up for supporting their progressive, collaborative analysis,” stated Karena Mary Mothershed, director of the Gulf Analysis Program’s Board on Gulf Schooling and Engagement. “We’re excited to see what these early-career researchers will accomplish as they implement analysis that may have an enduring impression on the Gulf of Mexico area.”
Ennes research how museums can encourage science curiosity and profession aspirations amongst underrepresented teams via household applications and civic engagement. She leads Group Motion Initiatives for the Atmosphere, supporting youth-driven environmental initiatives, funded by the North American Affiliation for Environmental Schooling and the U.S. Environmental Safety Company.
Ennes additionally focuses on bettering science communication, significantly about local weather change, for museum educators and scientists. Chair of the American Academic Analysis Affiliation’s Casual Studying Environments group, she holds a Ph.D. in science schooling from North Carolina State College and an M.A. in environmental research and B.S. in marine biology and schooling from the College of North Carolina, Wilmington.
She’s going to use funding from the fellowship to check how conservation and stewardship practices in Florida are influenced by how linked folks really feel to their surroundings.
“We wish to take a look at how sense of place in Florida impacts pro-environmental behaviors,” she stated. Ennes can also be the director the Florida Museum’s Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI), which was established to bolster environmental schooling in Florida and promote the accountable stewardship of pure sources.
Ennes additionally plans to make use of the early profession fellowship to introduce core environmental ideas and analysis practices. Every year TESI hosts an environmental leaders fellowship through which college students from the College of Florida attend environmental seminars, obtain mentorship from specialists and take part in a discipline tour with a give attention to environmental points in Florida.
With funding from the Nationwide Academies, Ennes will increase the main focus of the environmental leaders fellowship to incorporate a extra holistic view of how Floridians see and work together with their environment.
“Understanding how folks really feel linked to Florida offers us insights for the way we discuss issues like sea degree rise or saltwater intrusion and warmth and the numerous different points we face right here in our state. It makes it simpler for educators to attach with their college students and helps us talk about these points in ways in which assist our learners really feel empowered to make change and shield the locations they love.”
Pamela Soltis, a distinguished professor and curator on the Florida Museum, will function Megan’s mentor through the two-year fellowship. Two extra school on the College of Florida — Marc Hansel, a analysis professor within the soil, water and ecosystems sciences division and Elise Morrison, a professor in environmental engineering — have additionally been awarded the 2024-2026 early profession fellowship.
Go to the Nationwide Academies web site to entry the full press release, which incorporates info for all 2024-2026 early profession fellows.
Sources: Megan Ennes, mennes@floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Media contacts: Pete Nelson, pnelson@nas.edu;
Jerald Pinson, jpinson@flmnh.ufl.edu, 352-294-0452
