About
Jacqueline Genovesi, PhD, has over 35 years of experience working in informal STEM learning environments. Dr. Genovesi leads the Academy of Natural Sciences’ Center for STEAM Equity as its founding Executive Director. The Center for STEAM Equity focuses on social and environmental educational justice in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) to serve minoritized audiences from early childhood onward. The Center designs safe and inclusive learning spaces for audiences, including young women; Black, Latinx and other students of color; those identifying as LGBTQ+; and those along the autism spectrum. The Center also looks to diversify and increase representation in STEM careers by building a strong career pipeline network for our participants. She is currently PI on NSF-iTEST grant Engaging Women in Engineering: Training Mentors to Make a Difference and NIH-SEPA grant: Seeds to STEM: Cultivating Early Nutrition, Literacy, Numeracy, and STEM Knowledge and Skills in Teachers, 3-to-5-Year-Olds, and Families through a Bilingual Asset-Based Curriculum in Two Major Cities and co-Principle Investigator on NSF-ASIL project: Women in Natural Sciences: A Longitudinal Comparative Case Study of Black Women in STEMM (1995-2015). She has served as the lead on the development of three major exhibits at the Academy of Natural Sciences (The Academy at 200: The Nature of Discovery, Live Animal Experience, and Butterflies). As Executive Director, she leads a team of 5 full time staff in the development and implementation of engaging informal STEM experiences. Her research interests include: live animals and STEM learning; early childhood STEM experiences in informal learning environments; autism access and increasing Black and Latinx women in STEM. Dr. Genovesi uses her academic knowledge combined with her 35 years of experience as a practitioner to inform and guide her research into practice projects. Dr. Genovesi also serves on her local school board leading their Social, Emotion Learning and Community Relations Committees.