Faculty Profile

Dr. Carroll focuses on informal youth education in natural resources and the environment. She works extensively with faculty and staff from many disciplines to develop curriculum and other educational items. Dr. Carroll has written or collaborated on over 100 refereed publications, served as committee chair for eight students, and committee member for 26 students from 12 departments. She has served as an investigator or collaborator on grants for more than $28 million as the outreach coordinator or curriculum developer. 

Dr. Carroll also holds a teaching appointment in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering where she taught Environmental Systems Management, ASM 336, from 2005-2017, then moved this course to an online format (with Articulate Storyline™) and with a new number (ASM 23600) for Fall, 2018 and continues to teach it two to three semesters each year.

Education
BS Michigan State University Mathematics major/General Science minor, with secondary teaching certification
MS Michigan State University Agricultural Engineering - forage harvesting
PhD Michigan State University Agricultural Engineering - Soil & Water (numerical modeling)

Courses Taught
ASM 236, Environmental Systems Management (2018 – current; ASM 336, 2006 – 2017)
YDAE 591, Informal Curriculum Development (2016)
NRES 290, Introduction to Environmental Science (Spring 2008)
ABE 450, Finite Element Method in Design and Optimization (Fall, 2003 – 2006)
YDAE 591F, Enrichment in the Classroom: Farm to Table (Summer, 2004, 2006)
ENGR 103, Introduction to Engineering Careers, Environmental and Natural Resources (Fall 2002 and invited lectures, 2003 – 2006)

Research Interests
Informal learning with a focus on environmental and natural resource content, methods and modes for youth audiences.

Grants & Projects

Grant total: $28,043,721 – ($887,719 to Carroll), Selected recent projects:

• Innovative Green Clean-in-Place Technology with Micro-bubbles, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Co-PI, 2018-2020, $892,000
• Developing Public School Curricula and Training High School Students and Teachers as Ambassadors for Pollinator Protection, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Sciences / Research (FFAR), Co-PI, 2018-2020, $360,000
• Tick Insiders: a citizen science project to advance detection, diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases in Indiana, College of Agriculture, Co-PI, 2017-2019, $75,000
• Soil Health Education Resources for Educators, USDA-SARE, PI, $72,701
• Agro-ecosystem Approach to Sustainable Biofuels Production via the Pyrolysis-Biochar Platform (AFRI-CAP), 2011-2014, $9,750,000
• Toyota 4-H2O Community Project, 2010-2013, $174,649
• Indiana Energizes! A 4-H SET Activity, Duke Energy, 2010, $12,500
• COSIA: Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences, sub-contract with the University of CA, Berkley (2009-2012), 2,055,927 
• Teaming with Insects, Christian Oseto (PI), Tim Gibb, Melissa Shepson, Natalie Carroll, one year (2009), National 4-H, CSREES, USDA. $104,300.00
• Encouraging Regional Trade with Hermetic Storage for Cowpea in West and Central Africa, Joan Fulton (PI), Jess Lowneberg-DeBoer, Natalie Carroll, Larry Murdock, Barry Pittendrigh, Katy Ibrahim, (2007 – 2011), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, $11,414.417
• Response of Aquatic and Terrestrial Microorganisms to Carbon-based Manufactured Nanoparticles, National Science Foundation, (2004 – 2008) $1,600,000
• Apple Functional Genomics,  (2003-2005). $1,659,708
• Youth Research Projects, N. Carroll (PI), one year (2004), North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), $3,500

Committees
University

• University Senate Past Chair, 2019-20
• Digital Proctoring Committee, 2020
• Academic Analytics Review Committee, requested by P. Hollenbeck, Fall, 2019
• Independent Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Admission Committee, 2019
• Search Committee, University Senate Secretary of Faculties, requested by J. Akridge, Fall, 2019
• University Senate Chair, 2018-19; related committees:
  Purdue Board of Trustees Academic and Student Affairs Committee (ex-officio)
  Provost Advisory Committee for Diversity and Inclusion
  Administration Advisory Committee, chair
  Big Ten Academic Alliance
  COACHE Implementation Team
  Executive Policy Review Group
  Grand Marshal, Purdue Commencements
  Purdue Global Commencement, Platform Party
  Intercampus Faculty Council Member
  Other committees, as assigned
  Provost Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion
  Provost meetings
  Senate Meetings, chair
  Steering Committee
• University Senate, 2002 – 2008 (ASEC/YDAE), 2009-2012 (CoAg), 2015-2017 (CoAg) – 11 years as faculty rep plus 3 years as vice chair, chair, and past-chair = 17 years, plus 3 years on the Nominating Committee as ex-officio. Total of 20 years.
  Vice-Chair, Chair, Past-Chair, 2017-2020
  Steering Committee, 2009-2011, 2017-18
  Advisory Committee, 2006-2008, 2010-2011
  Nominating Committee
  Member:  15 years
  Chair: 5 years, chair; 1 year, co-chair
  University Senate Nominating Committee, Special Advisor (ex-officio), 2012-2015(3 years)
  Faculty Committees:
  Documents and Records
  Libraries
• Advance, Purdue. Program to assist with the advancement of women and other minorities in science (18); New Facilitator Training (4 times)
• Athletic Affairs Committee, Chair, 1x
• Indiana Commission for Higher Education Faculty Nominating Committee, 2x
• Graduate School Review, Co-Chair
• University Graduate Council, Committee E (Life Science) chair
• Faculty Mediation, Committee
• A/P Grievance Committee
• Murphy Award (University teaching award) Selection Committee, 2x
• Community Standards Board (CSB, student termination panel), 2 years
• Discovery Learning Research Center, Internal Advisory Board, 2 years 
• Promotions Committee, Panel X (clinical faculty), 2 years
• Department Head Review, Chair, 2009
• Institutional Review Board (IRB) 2 years