Rural Arizona STEM Fellows Program

The Rural Arizona STEM Fellows Program supports educators in designing hands-on, project-based STEM learning and research experiences rooted in local environmental issues and community partnerships. The Society built on the success of the pilot effort to refine and scale the Rural Arizona STEM Ambassador program by building a place-based cohort of educators in a single, rural location to participate in a year-long professional development program with a local STEM partner.

The Program continues to have a lasting, positive impact on students and educators. Surveyed Fellows unanimously reported that students engaged in authentic research opportunities and built interest or confidence in doing science research, while Fellows themselves reported increased confidence in teaching science research or engineering and creating effective STEM learning experiences. Educators described shifts toward more student-led inquiry, hands-on learning, and project-based instruction, supported by a collaborative professional development model. Fellows also valued the community partnerships and resources the program introduced, many noting plans to sustain or expand these connections in future teaching.

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Rural Arizona STEM Fellows at the base of a mine. — Society for Science

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2026-27 Program

The 2026-27 program expanded to include two rural cohorts, one partnering with Friends of the Verde River in Cottonwood for a second year, and the other in the White Mountains partnering with the White Mountain Nature Center. Fellows collaborated with partner organizations to help students investigate topics, such as watershed health, ecosystem change, water quality bioindicators, and local animal populations. These authentic, place-based projects made science more relevant and engaging for students by connecting classroom learning to their communities and local ecosystems.

Research Fellows

Kal Mannis (Sierra Vista, AZ), STEM Research Ambassador
Laurie Altringer, Science Vortex (Cottonwood, AZ) Lead Fellow
Tammy Gadeberg, Sequoia Village Elementary School (Show Low, AZ) Lead Fellow
Romel Agno, Tombstone High School (Tombstone, AZ)
Jessica Allen, Sequoia Village Middle School (Show Low, AZ)
Rodolfo Balagtas, Dishchii’bikoh High School (White Mountain Apache Nation) (Cibecue, AZ)
Beth Beyer, Sequoia Village High School (Show Low, AZ)
Shelby Brittain, Pomerene Elementary School (Benson, AZ)
Amber Caulkins, Chino Valley High School (Show Low, AZ)
Sharon Christie, Center for Academic Success – Douglas (Douglas, AZ)
Marianna Escobedo, Concho Elementary School (Concho, AZ)
Jolene Fernald, Sierra Vista School District (Sierra Vista, AZ)
Loy Guzman, Apache Elementary School (Peoria, AZ)
Carianna Liefland, Sedona Charter School (Sedona, AZ)
Lyndsey Ludden, Oak Creek Elementary School (Cornville, AZ)
Rose Martinez, Palominas Elementary School (Hereford, AZ)
Karriaunna Scotti, Tombstone High School (Tombstone, AZ)

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