Education Buzz - December 2023

Q&A: Looking back and forward with Dean Kathy Schultz

As a new dean, Kathy Schultz held one-on-one meetings with every faculty and staff member to learn more about their contributions across the CU Boulder School of Education. Now, Schultz and colleagues reflect on her contributions as she prepares to step down as dean to return to the faculty at the end of the year. This Q&A recounts what she is proud of, some of the lessons learned and her wishes for the future

Highlights

Fernando Rosario-Ortiz named interim dean of School of Education

Effective Jan. 1, Fernando Rosario-Ortiz will be the interim dean of the School of Education, as named by Provost Russell Moore. Rosario-Ortiz currently is the associate dean for faculty advancement in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and he will succeed Dean Kathy Schultz, who announced her resignation on Sept. 28 and will remain as dean of the school through the end of the calendar year.

New book highlights the incredible legacy of CU Boulder’s BUENO Center for Multicultural Education

A new book co-authored by center leaders and alumni, "¡Qué BUENO!," chronicles the BUENO Center for Multicultural Education, CU Boulder’s oldest multicultural-serving center on campus, and its transformational education research and programming that improved access for diverse and bilingual learners for nearly 50 years.

Kudos

Sara McDonald earns coveted Stearns Award for outstanding service to the university

Long-time School of Education leader, Sara McDonald has received the 2023 Robert Stearns Award, which honors faculty and staff for extraordinary achievement in teaching, service, work with students and/or research. McDonald was honored at the 94th annual Alumni Awards Ceremony in November.

Science-education experts recognized for ground-breaking work

Valerie Otero, professor of science education in the School of Education, and Noah Finkelstein, professor of physics, have won the 2023 Svend Pedersen Award and Lecture for their “major and lasting” contribution to science education. The international award, which was unsolicited, recognizes their joint contribution to “teacher education praxis” and the cross-disciplinary collaboration between physics and education “led to the development of the highly influential and successful Learning Assistant Program."