Teresa J. Kennedy

Professor, STEM Education, Oceanography, and Bilingual/ELL Education

Phone: 903.566.7448
Email: tkennedy@uttyler.edu
Building:   BEP 229F
Department: Education

Education

Title: Professor, International STEM and Bilingual/ELL Education; Oceanography
Department: Education
Building: BEP 229F
Email: tkennedy@uttyler.edu
Phone: 903.566.7448

Degrees

• Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy, University of Idaho
  Curriculum and Instruction—Bilingual Science Education
  Concentration: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) focus on content-based foreign language/ESL/ELL pedagogy in Earth Science.
  
  • Phi Delta Kappa International Outstanding Dissertation Award, 1998 (District 1 Competition: Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Saskatchewan, and Washington State).  Dissertation Title: "FLES:  The cognitive and attitudinal effects of content-related foreign language instruction in the elementary school." Focus on teaching and learning a second language through STEM disciplines. 

• M.O. - Master of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island
  Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO)

• M.A. - Master of Art, Spanish Language and Literature, University of Idaho
  College of Letters and Science

• B.A. - Bachelor of Art, Spanish Language and Literature, University of Idaho
  College of Letters and Science
  • Cognates: French, International Studies.

• B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Secondary Education, University of Idaho
  Teaching Certifications: Idaho, Oregon, Washington.
  • Secondary Teaching Certification: 7–12 Earth Science, Natural Science, Social Studies and Spanish.
  • Elementary Teaching Certification: All subjects K–8; K–6 Spanish; K–12 Bilingual Education; K–12 English as a Second Language (ESL/ELL).

• International Studies/Experiences
  • Countries Visited through work and educational experiences: 107 countries and 2 U.S. Territories.
  • Educational Programs Completed: Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain (1982–83); Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, Quito, Ecuador (1993); Universidad del País Vasco, San Sebastián, Spain (1999).

• Fulbright Awards: 
  • Ecuador (1993); Argentina (2014–15); Hungary (2017).
    
    
• Oceanographic Research and related Activities
  • Co-led the production of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Ocean Decade Manual for Non-governmental Organizations (2024) while serving as Co-Chair of the UNESCO IOC Ocean Decade NGO Task Group. 
  • Advancing Ocean Sustainability for Climate-Resistent Change
  • National Science Teaching Association & National Marine Educators Association joint position statement on The Importance of Teaching and Learning about the Ocean (2025) (contributing writing team member). 
  • GO-SHIP A13.5 CTD Watchstander, February–March 2024 (this research cruise transited from Cape Verde to the Gulf of Ghana, followed by gathering data along the A13.5 south to near Bouvet Island, completing 113 stations and traveling over 6,000 km). Science team from NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), Earth and Space Research (ESR), Scripts Institution of Oceanography San Diego, among others. 
    • Responsibilities: Tasked with operating the CTD (a "package" of electronic devices that detect how the conductivity and temperature of water changes relative to depth) computer console using measurements to direct the winch operator throughout casts to collect the ship's water samples by remotely closing bottles on the CTD rosette at 24 predetermined depths; organized and monitored eight analysts taking water samples; served as a member of the scientific research team sampling salinity as well as nitrate and seawater isotope composition; coordinated blog communications; and assisted with the school outreach component of the GO-BGC Adopt-a-Float program.
    • Vessel: R/V Marcus G. Langseth - National Science Foundation (NSF) ship (235ft.) operated by Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) with NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) and Scripps Institute of Oceanography. 2024 GO-SHIP A13.5
      
      
  • Verhoef FL50 Aluminium Freefall Lifeboat Droptests, Verhoef Aluminium Scheepsbouw Industries, Aalsmeer, Netherlands, 2013. University of Texas at Tyler College of Engineering research on deformation and acceleration force of Verhoef Free-Fall Lifeboats.
    • Responsibilities: Conducted sensor placement in lifeboats on platform (40 meters/131 feet high) prior to drop testing.

• • NOAA Teacher at Sea Scholar: May-June 2001 (San Diego, California to near Newport, Oregon, and across the Pacific to Honolulu, Hawaii). Science team from NASA, NOAA, and Knudsen Engineering (Canada).
    • Responsibilities: Conducted research on phytoplankton blooms along the California coast, observed CTD deck operations, and assisted with testing the effectiveness of a new echo sounder model while recording digital tracking data of the Ocean floor.
    • Vessel: R/V Ocean Seeker - Ka'imimoana - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship (224 ft.) dedicated to climate research, and studying Ocean currents and marine ecosystems through its support of NOAA's Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean (TAO) Project.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Kennedy joined The University of Texas at Tyler in 2009. She is a Professor of STEM and Bilingual/ELL Education and holds a joint appointment in the College of Education and Psychology School of Education and in the College of Engineering. She teaches oceanography and meteorology in the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as pedagogy courses at the undergraduate level and school improvement courses for master’s and doctoral students in the College of Education and Psychology. She has nearly 40 years of experience in higher education (since 1988). Her K–12 teaching experience includes 8 years at the secondary level and 7 years at the elementary/middle school level in Idaho, Oregon and Washington, with secondary teaching certifications in Earth Science and Natural Science, Social Studies, Spanish, English as a Second Language and Bilingual Education, and elementary certification in all subject areas (since 1985). She has taught science, social studies, and language lessons in classrooms around the world.

CURRENT BOARD POSITIONS:
International Consortium of Research Staff Associations (ICoRSA) Advisory Board: 2024–present.

International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE) Executive Committee: 2010–present. Serve as ICASE Representative to UNESCO; ICASE Past President (2014–2017). 

International Education and Resource Network (iEARN-USA) Advisory Council: 2021–2025.

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Co-chair of the IOC Ocean Decade NGO Task Group (2023–present). NGO Liaison Committee: 2023–2024; 2022–2023; 2016–2018.  Served as Vice President of the NGO-UNESCO Liaison Committee and as their Liaison to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2023–2024).  

COURSES TAUGHT AT UT TYLER:
UNDERGRADUATE
College of Arts and Sciences
GEOL 3314 – Oceanography and Meteorology
College of Education and Psychology
ELED 4360/5300 – Teaching English Language Learners
EDUT 4170 – Apprentice Teaching Seminar
EDUC 4199 – Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) Internship
EDUC 4199 – Global Education
EDUC 4334 – Methods for Teaching Elementary English Language Learners
EDUC 4360 – ESL Methodology
EDUC 4378 – Methods for Teaching Secondary English Language Learners

GRADUATE
College of Education and Psychology
EDUC 5301 – Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences
EDUC 5306 – Special Topics in Education: Methods for Teaching K-12 ELLs
EDUC 5306 – Special Topics in Education: Grad Teach Diversity & Special Populations
EDUC 5306 – Special Topics in Education: Current Innovations in Education
EDUC 5352 – Curriculum Foundations
EDUC 5356 – Diversity in Educational Settings
EDSI  6322 – Culturally Responsive Practices for School Improvement

RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS:
Dr. Kennedy’s has dedicated her career to advancing global science education, Ocean Literacy, and international STEM and sustainability initiatives. Her diverse research interests span biological and geological oceanography in the context of climate change; Ocean Literacy; international comparative education; and fostering interest and competencies in STEM and 21st century skills. She is also deeply engaged in exploring gender and equity issues in STEM, content-based second language teaching and learning with STEM disciplines, and the intersection of brain research with second language acquisition and bilingualism. She has won over $38 million in grants, contracts and development (over 5 million of which has occurred during her tenure at UT Tyler). 

She has presented at more than 460 events and served on the writing teams for national publications with the Center for Economic and National Security, the National Science Teaching Association, and the National Marine Educators Association. Additionally, she co-edited three international science education books for Springer International (Switzerland):

• Science Education in Theory and Practice, consisting of 32 chapters (44 authors representing 14 countries);  Second Edition, May 2025.
• Play and STEM Education in the Early Years: International Policies and Practices, consisting of 22 chapters (47 authors from 16 countries); and
• Contemporary Issues in Science and Technology Education, consisting of 21 chapters (32 authors representing 11 countries).

She has authored/co-authored over 25 book chapters, over 55 journal articles and features, and over 50 proceedings and reports. She was a writer as well as editor for more than 300 GLOBE STAR stories and various reports and web pages published on NASA's GLOBE Program website from 2003–2012, and also co-narrated a NASA Connect Video (The A-Train Express Satellites) filmed in 2004 in Paris in collaboration with the French Space Agency (CNES), highlighting two of NASA's Earth science satellite missions (CALIPSO and CloudSat). In addition, she served as the editor for seven issues of Learning Languages, the professional journal of the National Network for Early Language Learning from 2002–2005. Her publications have been included in journals such as Springer Nature; Science Education International; Education Sciences; the Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning; Frontiers in Education; The Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice; The American Journal of Biomedical Science and Research; The International House Journal; Children, Youth and Environment; the National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA) Navigator; Teaching Children Mathematics; The Journal of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific; The Journal of Interactive Online Learning; NWATE Journal of Education Practices; Brain and Language; the International Reading Association; The Reading Teacher; ACTFL Foreign Language Annuals; The Language Educator; Learning Languages; TESOL; Hispania; Sino-US English Teaching; the TexELT Journal; and in several NASA publications and different international venues such as the Impreso en la República Argentina; la Biblioteca Nacional del Perú; Spain's Ministry of Education Magazine; and the World Meteorological Organization Magazine (Switzerland).

ADDITIONAL POSITIONS HELD AT UT TYLER:
Dr. Kennedy established UT Tyler's Office of International Programs (OIP) in January 2013 and served as Assistant Vice President for International Programs and Senior International Officer for UT Tyler leading all OIP operations from July 2013–May 2017. During that time, her responsibilities included creating and managing several cross-functional OIP units (Study Abroad; International Services; and International Research and Engagement); serving as Principal Designated School Official for F Visa Student Program activities and Responsible Officer for the J Visa Exchange Visitor Program working with the U.S. Department of State Student Exchange and Visitor Program, and expanding international collaborations for UT Tyler by establishing 17 new international partnership agreements with universities abroad. In addition, Dr. Kennedy established and led UT Tyler's Passport Acceptance Facility working with the U.S. Department of State Passport Services (September 2015–October 2017) and also created and directed UT Tyler's Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) for the School of Education (January 2013–December 2017). Prior to founding the OIP, she was assigned to assist the Provost's Office with international recruitment and marketing (September 2010–July 2013). Dr. Kennedy spent the summer of 2017 transitioning out of the OIP in order to resume her teaching, research and service activities.

PAST POSITIONS:
Past positions include serving in several different capacities for NASA's GLOBE Program at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR, Boulder Colorado) from 2001–2012, responsible for facilitating activities in 112 GLOBE partner countries working with NASA's Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) and the U.S. Department of State. Positions included serving as Director of the GLOBE Program Office International Division and U.S. Country Coordinator (2009–2012 located on the University of Texas at Tyler campus); GLOBE Deputy Director / Director of the International Division and U.S. Country Coordinator (2006–2009 located at UCAR in Boulder, Colorado); and GLOBE Deputy Chief Educator and Assistant Director of U.S. Partnerships (2001–2003 at the former GLOBE headquarters office in Washington D.C.). She also managed all activities related to the GLOBE International Help Desk as well as Star historical summaries posted to the GLOBE website from 2003–2012. Dr. Kennedy continues to serve as a GLOBE Master Trainer (1996–present), and also co-directs The University of Texas at Tyler GLOBE U.S. Partnership (2009–present), responsible for recruiting, training and mentoring K–12 teachers and university pre-service education students to implement GLOBE activities with their students in East Texas.

Prior to her position at UCAR, she was an Associate Research Professor of Education at the University of Idaho where she founded a bilingual/foreign language science education program, and also served as the NASA Broker Facilitator for the State of Idaho, the director of the NASA Regional Educator's Resource Center for the College of Engineering NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium, and led the Center for Evaluation, Research and Public Service for the College of Education facilitating faculty in identifying and developing potential grant and evaluation projects. In addition, she served as an adjunct professor for Washington State University, the University of Alabama, and Tillamook Bay Community College in Oregon.