Graduate Student Profile Liz Alexander is a current Master’s student in Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication. A Boilermaker alum, she received her Bachelor’s in Animal Sciences in 2016. She returned home to central Indiana to work as an informal agricultural educator at Conner Prairie, where she trained youth, developed STEM programming, and engaged the public. A year later she decided to pursue a graduate degree that would provide her the training and skills she needs to better share her passion for agriculture. Given exceptional faculty, global vision, and renowned research, returning to Purdue was an easy decision. Liz is a member of the Community Engagement team for an NSF grant-funded project titled, “Modeling Agri-Life Sciences through STEM Integration (M.A.L.T.S.)”, in which she coordinates parent and community engagement to complement the classroom model eliciting activity experiences. Through community involvement, the M.A.L.T.S. team aims to encourage culturally relevant STEM learning and real-world problem solving and to increase career interest in agriculture life sciences. Liz also coordinates the Mentoring@Purdue on-campus workshops for faculty and graduate students in the College of Agriculture. In the Future, Liz intends to pursue a career in informal education as an extension coordinator or in a food insecurity focused NGO.
Education Degree(s)
BS Animal Science Purdue University
Professional Activities
Mentoring @ Purdue (M@P), Modeling Agricultural Life Sciences Through STEM Integration Research Project (M.A.L.T.S.)
Research Interest
informal education, community engagement, adult education, women in agriculture, international food insecurity, urban and sustainable agriculture.
Thesis Title
The relationship between women’s education and food security in developing countries (topic)
Funding Sources: NSF Grant Project: Modeling Agricultural Life Sciences Through STEM Integration Research Project (M.A.L.T.S.)
Advisors
Dr. Levon Esters