Quienes Somos

Anthony Carpi, Ph.D.

Anthony is the founder and president of Visionlearning. He is a Professor of Environmental Toxicology at John Jay College of the City University of New York and has extensive experience in teaching and educational research. He has authored articles for the Journal of Chemical Education, Journal of College Science Teaching, Journal of Hispanic Higher Education and other venues on the design and effectiveness of teaching resources, including Web-based materials. He is also the recipient of several grants from the National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Education that have focused on improving student pedagogy in science through the creation of online and offline services and materials. In 2011, his work mentoring young scientists was recognized when he was presented with a Presidential Award for Excellence in Math, Science, and Engineering Mentoring by President Barack Obama. For more information about his research and scholarship, visit his personal web page at John Jay College.

Anne E. Egger, Ph.D.

Anne is an assistant professor of geological sciences and science education at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA. Her joint appointment reflects two distinct research areas. In her geology research, she combines geological field mapping of the surface and geophysical mapping of the subsurface to better understand the geologic setting and history of regions such as the Basin and Range. In science education, Anne is involved in the development of materials for geoscience education at the college level and works with faculty to integrate best practices into their teaching. From 2004 to 2011, Anne was a lecturer and the Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University. For more information, visit Anne's web page at CWU Anne's personal web page.

Russ Demarest

Russ is the web developer, database administrator and application designer for Visionlearning.com. He has designed and created a variety of education-based online programs including ThinkQuest, ThinkQuest New York City and ThinkQuest for Tomorrow's Teachers, a PT3 program. He has created an array of commercial e-commerce systems, as well as a number of other projects including a personal movie review site hosting movie, book and television reviews from friends. An Open Source supporter and Linux user, Russ supports and promotes the free software movement.

Heather Hartwig Boyd, Ph.D.

Heather has a Ph.D. in Mass Communications and is an evaluation specialist with an emphasis on educational program development. She has 15 years of experience in measuring, analyzing and communicating the results of education and communication campaigns to diverse audiences. She is a member of the American Evaluation Association and the American Statistical Association.

Heather MacNeill Falconer, M.A./M.S.

Heather Falconer holds undergraduate degrees in Graphic Arts and Environmental Science, as well as an MFA in Writing and an MLitt in Literature. She is currently completing her PhD in Rhetoric and Composition with an emphasis on rhetoric in/and/of science. Heather has worked internationally in academic publishing as both an author and editor, and has taught a wide range of topics -- from research writing to marine biology -- in the public and private educational sectors. Heather assists Visionlearning with ensuring quality control of materials and development of new site features.

Oscar Cifuentes

Oscar Cifuentes was born and raised in the Caribbean coastal town of La Ceiba, Honduras. He took his primary and secondary education at La Ceiba Bilingual School, and earned both U.S. and Honduras-accredited diplomas. He then attended The Catholic University of Honduras, graduating with a degree in Marketing with internship experiences in both postsecondary education research and public relations. Oscar also earned certification as an English-Spanish bilingual educator and taught at the San Isidro Bilingual School for four years. He joined the Visionlearning team in 2010, assisting as a translator and in outreach to our teachers and students in Latin America.

Christine Hoekenga

Christine is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist, specializing in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) topics. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and Media Studies from Willamette University and a Master's of Science Writing from MIT. Christine has a decade's worth of experience in science communication and education having worked as a journalist, an organizer for conservation groups, and an informal science educator. Before joining the Visionlearning team, she served as the New Media and Online Community Manager for the Webby award-winning Smithsonian Ocean Portal. Christine is assisting Visionlearning with developing new modules and glossary terms and with outreach through social media.