People

Gustavo grew up in Southeastern Brazil, inspired by nature on his grandparents’ farm. His passion for nature motivated him to become a field biologist and led him to a career path in academic research and higher education. Gustavo dedicated over 15 years to help college students connect their curiosity about nature to science, guiding them through the transformative path of critical thinking. He believes that such transformation, however, should not be restricted to colleges, but accessible to everyone.

In 2018, Gustavo chose Connecticut to be his new home, and non-formal science education and outreach to be his new career. He currently serves on the Board of the NAAEE affiliate in Connecticut (CT Outdoor & Environmental Education Association) and has been supporting outdoor education as the perfect format to stimulate kids’ and adults’ curiosity about nature and connect them to science.

In 2020, Gustavo joined the Neighborhood Leadership Program from the Community Foundation for the Greater New Haven. Inspired by the stories and actions of so many community leaders, Gustavo decided to found the Science Yourself initiative as a way to celebrate, connect, and support professionals and community members that value science literacy, critical thinking, and science-based programs in the Greater New Haven area and across Connecticut.

Dr. Taylor has worked in K-16 science education for 20+ years. He is a proven leader and champion of science education within the State of Utah, leading teams of educators in the development of the State's Science Education and Engineering Standards for K-12 schools.  He continues to provide professional development opportunities for teachers through the Utah Science Teaching Association and now works with Zion National Park's official non-profit partner, Zion Forever Project, as the Director of Education & Visitor Services, supporting the Park in all education efforts.

I live in NC. I was a pediatrician in a former life and now I found my joy and passion in teaching preschoolers in a forest setting. I am a big birder and love to bring my love of the natural world to everyone I see, kids, other adults, friends. because if I am passionate about something, then it spreads and others become passioante too. 

A former classroom teacher, turned naturalist. I believe we never stop learning, and I want students/adults to know we can learn from each other by taking time to make careful observations about the natural world and asking engaging questions that lead to deeper understanding.

Dr. Firdevs Burcak obtained PhD (integrated) degree in Early Childhood Education at Hacettepe University. She has studied on developing quality of outdoor learning environments in preschools and teacher’s perception on using them in her dissertation. She is greatly honored that her doctoral research selected as the winner of the 2019 Nafi Atuf Kansu Pedagogical Outstanding Doctoral Research Award. During her PhD study she has been as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Minnesota Duluth with the sponsorship of TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) and studied with Professor Julie Ernst. After defending her dissertation, with a passion of spreading nature-based learning approach in Turkey’s preschools, she encouraged educational leaders, teachers and parents as giving seminars and workshops for using the outdoors effectively with children. She is currently working as an Assistant Professor at Biruni University. Her academic interest topics consist of nature & child connection, social-emotional learning/development of young children, wellbeing of young children, and equity & quality in early childhood education.

I am a special Education teacher assistant at a High School. I am taking classes at a Wisconsin University to get my Special Education Teachers License. 

Georgia Wright (she/they) is RIEEA’s Communications Manager. She a writer, organizer, and audio producer based in Providence, RI. Georgia’s opinion and culture writing can be found in The Guardian, Atmos, and The Indy; the youth climate podcast she co-created, Inherited (a production of YR Media and Critical Frequency) has been critically acclaimed by outlets such as the New York Times, NPR, Vulture, CBS This Morning, and New Scientist. Her work has won a Signal Award, a Casey Shearer Memorial Award, and a Merlyn’s Pen Climate Grant, among other honors.

You can reach Georgia at gwright(at)rieea(dot)org.

Mountain Watershed Association began its life around a kitchen table. The organization was founded in 1994 to oppose an underground coal mine proposal in the Indian Creek Watershed in the Laurel Highlands of Southwestern Pennsylvania. MWA’s input and organized opposition resulted in the denial of the permit. MWA’s board of directors and dedicated community members realized that to restore the watershed to a viable community, they would have to address the legacy of more than 150 years of extraction and disinvestment in our rural Appalachian region. Since then, MWA has restored more than 70 percent of the Indian Creek Watershed and prevented countless sources of additional pollution in the broader Youghiogheny River Watershed. The organization has expanded to eleven full-time employees, a 17-person volunteer Board of Directors, and more than 2500 members and supporters.