Eliza Jacobs

Eliza joined GMRI in June 2022 as a Research Assistant working with Dr. Amanda Dickes in the Learning Sciences Lab. She received her M.S. in Teaching from University of Maine. During her time at UMaine, she was a graduate research assistant in the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) and a teaching assistant in the School of Marine Sciences.

Her graduate thesis focused on the emotional and affective dimensions of teachers' written reflections during professional learning. She credits the mentorship of her advisor, committee, and GMRI's education team for helping to make that work possible. Eliza continues to explore the ways in which emotional expressions provide a lens to unpacking how students and teachers make sense of disciplinary knowledge and professional identity/agency. Eliza has also assisted on research which focused on computational thinking and computer science integration within middle school science classrooms. She has worked as an Ed Tech in South Portland Public Schools, a classroom teacher in South Korea, a study abroad student coordinator, and in sales and operations for sea kayaking and deep-sea fishing companies.

A native Mainer, Eliza is thrilled to be contributing to the education community in her home state. Her early experiences at Wells Reserve "Junior Researcher" summer camp inspired her lifelong interest in science education, both formal and informal. She is an enthusiastic runner, skier, hiker, potter, and knitter. She always has a suggestion for an outdoor adventure, no matter where in Maine you might be looking.