Bio

Dr. Landel is a biochemist with a heart for education! Dr. Landel received her doctoral degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Chicago and pursued postdoctoral studies at University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. While maintaining an active research program, Dr. Landel brought together her strong scientific training and her commitment to education by supporting state and national STEM education reform efforts. Eventually, she packed up her beakers and Petri dishes to focus on STEM education, teacher professional development and preservice preparation, and education policy—and has never looked back! In 2000, Dr. Landel became a Fellow in the National Academy for Science and Mathematics Education Leadership. In 2002, Dr. Landel joined the Science, Mathematics and Technology Education program at Western Washington University (WWU), home to the state’s largest teacher preparation program. In her first year at Western, she taught both majors and non-majors biology, as well as a Science Education Leadership course for K-12 teachers. For five years, she served as Project Director of the North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership, a National Science Foundation-funded partnership that united scientists from Western Washington University and four community colleges with 28 small and rural school districts to improve science education. In September 2009, Dr. Landel joined a team charged with designing an initiative that would unite civic, business, and education leaders in improving outcomes for our states students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). That effort resulted in creation of a new 501c3, Washington STEM, which will officially launch in Fall 2010. Washington STEM was created to catalyze innovation in the state’s education system, increase teacher effectiveness and student learning, and dramatically raise the number of Washington students graduating well prepared in STEM and ready for success in post-secondary education and work, with particular emphasis on improving the achievement of low-income and minority students. Dr. Landel now serves as Chief Program Officer at Washington STEM and continues to provide leadership to help launch its programs and activities. Dr. Landel has authored numerous publications in scientific journals and in the education literature. Recently, she collaborated with Page Keeley (Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance) and Susan Mundry (WestEd) to co-author the Leader’s Guide to Curriculum Topic Study. In addition, she and George Nelson (Western Washington University) coauthored a chapter in the NSTA publication, “Professional Learning Communities for Science Teaching: Lessons from Research and Practice”. In April 2010, another NSTA publication was released, “Science Education Leadership for the 21st Century”, where she coauthored a chapter on the critical role of principals in school improvement. Her current interests include understanding how partnerships between higher education, K12 schools, local and regional industry, and community based organizations can improve student learning and long term outcomes. In 2012, Dr. Landel will celebrate nineteen years of marriage to her husband, fellow biologist Hans Landel. Together they are parenting their twelve-year old son, Jordan, who loves to play baseball, talk about baseball, watch baseball, and dream about baseball - except when it is soccer season, when he loves to play soccer, talk about soccer, watch soccer, and dream about soccer. They recently added three new members to the family - Henrietta, Goldie Hen, and Lucy - three beautiful chickens that add color and conversation to the backyard, and eggs to the kitchen table. Dr. Landel loves to cook—largely because she likes to eat—and run—also because she likes to eat. Her ideal evenings and weekends are spent having a houseful of friends and family enjoying good food, good wine, and good conversation.