About Us

Integrated Science is an interdisciplinary program with contributions from the Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and Physics Departments. Program faculty teach Integrated Science courses, are involved in curriculum development and science education research, and provide K-12 outreach and professional development at regional and national levels.

Dr. Steve Mattox, Professor of Geology

Grand Valley State University
133 Padnos Hall
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-3734
Email:  [email protected]
Dr. Steve Mattox Website

Dr. Kristofer Pachla, Director, Regional Math and Science Center

Grand Valley State University

182 North C Living Center
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-2273
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Bradley Ambrose, Professor of Physics

Grand Valley State University
141 Padnos Hall
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA 49401

Phone: (616) 331-0201
Email:  [email protected]
Dr. Bradley Ambrose Website

Interests

My research focus is physics education research (PER), or the research in the teaching and learning of physics. I conduct in-depth investigations of student conceptual understanding and reasoning ability, with my particular focus being in advanced courses like intermediate mechanics and quantum physics. I incorporate the results from this research and other PER work to the development of innovative teaching materials and the adaptation of existing PER-based curricula.

Dr. Nathan Barrows, Associate Professor of Chemistry

Grand Valley State University
327C Padnos Hall
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-8644
Email:  [email protected]
Dr. Nathan Barrows Website

Interests

• Student cognition
• Misconceptions
• Interview methodologies

Dr. Caitlin Callahan, Assistant Professor of Geology

[email protected]
(616) 331-3601
Geology Department
145 Padnos Hall of Science
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-3728
Dept. Fax: (616) 331-3740

Dr. Christopher Dobson, Professor of Biology

Grand Valley State University
2200D Kindschi Hall of Science
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-2817
Email:  [email protected]
Dr. Christopher Dobson Website

Curriculum Vitae

Interests

I conduct teacher preparation at GVSU, and K-12 outreach and professional development for school districts throughout West Michigan. My specific interests include the integration of NGSS dimensions (science practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts) in the Next Generation Science Standards; and integration of earth, life, and physical sciences within contextual learning, for example of global climate change. I also mentor preservice teachers in the development of inquiry-based science curricula, like the 5E lessons below.

Forest for the Trees  (community structure and succession)
Spork and Beans  (natural selection and adaptation)
The Biodiversity Box  (biodiversity and conservation)
The Biodiversity Invasion  (species diversity and invasive species)

Dr. Julie Henderleiter, Associate Professor of Chemistry

Grand Valley State University
235 Padnos Hall
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-2542
Email:  [email protected]
Dr. Julie Henderleiter Website

Interests

Julie Henderleiter has a deep interest in outreach and service to K – 12 teachers. She is an enthusiastic volunteer in her local school district, acting as a sounding board, assistant, and classroom speaker for K – 8 teachers. She does summer programming for the Children’s Enrichment Center on campus and her local school-based child care center. She is interested in how preservice teachers develop an understanding of key chemistry topics, and in helping them develop strategies to effectively teach in K – 12 classrooms. Dr. Henderleiter teaches courses in the Integrated Science Program and in the Chemistry Department. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry (Chemistry Course) from The University of Wisconsin – Madison and her Ph.D. in Chemical Education from the University of Northern Colorado.

Dr. Deborah Herrington, Professor of Chemistry

Grand Valley State University
327B Padnos Hall
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-3809
Email:  [email protected]
Dr. Deborah Herrington Website

Interests

My primary research project involves studying the teachers enrolled in the Target Inquiry (TI) program and their students. The TI program is an innovative, research-based professional development program for science teachers designed to improve the frequency and quality of inquiry instruction in area science classrooms. This is a great project for pre-service science teaching majors. The current cohort to TI teachers consists of 13 high school and middle school science teachers. Students involved in this project get experience with both quantitative and qualitative educational research methods and acquire a deeper understanding of research-identified best practices in science education. For more information about the TI program see www.gvsu.edu/targetinquiry. 

Interests

• Collaborating with undergraduate students in writing/presenting innovative teaching materials
• Establishing a state-wide “AP” geology exam in Michigan
• Completing “Geology Underfoot in Michigan” for Mountain Press
• Learning paleomagnetism as a research method

Dr. Keith Oliver, Associate Professor of Physics

Grand Valley State University
156 Padnos Hall
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-2722
Email:  [email protected]
Dr. Keith Oliver Website

Interests

I am interested in questions of how and why we teach physics. What role can physics education play in the development of cognitive skills? What role do the unexpressed goals sometimes called the Hidden Curriculum play in physics classroom. Some examples of hidden curriculum may include epistemology (how do you know), ontology (what is there), and gender roles.

Dr. Stephen Rybczynski, Assistant Professor of Biology

Grand Valley State University
2200Q Kindschi Hall of Science
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-3278
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Stephen Rybczynski Website

Interests

My scholarship focuses on the development of inquiry-based investigations for use in K-12 classrooms.  Current projects include: 1) the influence of stream ecosystem attributes on benthic invertebrate community structure and 2) trophic relationships among beetle seed predators, wasp parasitoids and trees in the Legume family.  I am also interested in the relationships among instructional strategies, student attitude, and Nature of Science understanding.

Angela Slater, Affiliate Instructor of Integrated Science

Grand Valley State University
371 Padnos Hall
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone: (616) 331-8981
Email:  [email protected]

Interests

• Mentoring pre-service teachers
• Development of inquiry-based curriculum
• Using inquiry to promote the development of science reasoning and process skills

Dr. Janet Vigna, Professor of Biology

Grand Valley State University
2200E Kindschi Hall of Science
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  USA  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-2592
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Janet Vigna Website

Janet Vigna has a passion for training and mentoring K–12 science teachers in effective pedagogical strategies, curriculum planning and learning theory development.  She is also invested in effective teaching and curriculum development for nonmajors' biology courses.  She is an author of Biology for a Changing World, a text created in collaboration with Scientific American that integrates current, journalistic stories with biology content to increase student interest in relevant life science.  Dr. Vigna is the coordinator for an Academic Success initiative that uses learning theory pedagogy to improve the academic performance and self-efficacy of first-year students.  Her scholarly interests also include research on the effects of biological pesticides on amphibian communities.  In 2013 she was awarded the University Outstanding Teacher Award, and she has recently been recognized as the 2017 Michigan Science Teachers Association College Science Teacher of the Year.  She received her B.S. in Biology from The University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Iowa.

Shelly Micho, RMSC Office Coordinator

Grand Valley State University
183 North Living Center C
1 Campus Dr
Allendale, MI  49401

Phone:  (616) 331-2522
Email:  [email protected]