Dr Gail Jones

Professor

gail_jones@ncsu.edu

Office: 919-515-4053

About Gail

Dr. Jones is a professor of science education. Her teaching focuses on science teacher preparation and research in teaching and learning science. Dr. Jones’ research focuses on learning science in a variety of sociocultural contexts. Her research examines how a number of subgroups learn, including gender, minorities and students with visual impairments. Recently Dr. Jones has conducted a series of studies that examine nanoscale science education. She directs the Innovations in STEM Education Research Group that is investigating how people learn scale and scaling, the role of haptics (touch) in learning, and effective strategies for learning nanoscale science. Dr. Jones also investigates virtual reality interfaces for learning science.

Teams

Innovations in STEM Education Research

(Team Lead)

Projects

Families and Museums Exploring (FAME) (Principal Investigator)

By partnering with local museums, NC State is engaging families in STEM activities and encouraging students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Master Science Hobbyists: Characteristics, Motivations, Experiences and Career Trajectories (Principal Investigator)

This project is examining the characteristics, motivations, in- and out-of-school experiences, informal science activities and career trajectories of citizen scientists and “master hobbyists.”
TOSS: Trajectory of Science Scholars (Principal Investigator)

A professional development initiative designed to engage teachers in collaboratively examining the trajectory of student learning in the biological sciences from basic content knowledge to mastery of advanced concepts.
The ASSIST Center Pre-College Education Outreach Program (Principal Investigator)

The ASSIST Center developed strategic outreach partnerships with 11 middle and high schools to enhance teachers’ engineering content knowledge and teaching methods in order to increase the diversity and enrollment of domestic students in university engineering degree programs.
zSpace STEM Lab (Principal Investigator)

The zSpace STEM Lab comes with a suite of science software and curriculum resources that offer learning experiences across grade levels through the sciences and STEM topics.
Conceptualizing Non-Contact Forces: The Efficacy of Visuo-haptic Simulations (Co-Principal Investigator)

This project focused on documenting the role that haptic learning plays in science education.
Bottom-Up Meets Top-Down: An Integrated Undergraduate Nanotechnology Laboratory

The goal of this Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education in Engineering program was to develop an undergraduate-level nanotechnology laboratory course consisting of 10 portable lab modules that would provide students with hands-on experience in nanotechnology.
Center for Molecular Spintronics

The Center for Molecular Spintronics sought to reveal the fundamental principles underlying the optimal use of organic molecules for spin transport and manipulation through new synthesis, advanced characterization and state-of-the-art modeling.
NC Quest: The Science Scholars Academy

The goal of the Science Scholars Academy was to enhance teachers’ technological, pedagogical science content knowledge and awareness of cutting-edge scientific research to better prepare their students for STEM courses and careers.

Updates

Friday Institute Partners with Local Museums to Engage Families and Students in STEM
Jan 10, 2019
Research shows that kids in families who engage in activities together are more likely to continue those activities as they get older. Dr. Gail Jones and her team have partnered with...
Friday Institute Selects 2018 Graduate Student Fellows
Oct 30, 2018
This year’s Friday Institute Graduate Student Fellows are researching topics that will make a difference for North Carolinians. Whether dedicating time to providing access to education for all students, protecting...
More Than a Hobby: How Volunteers Support Science
Jul 10, 2018
Why count birds, give gardening advice or gaze at stars? Professor Gail Jones’ research says citizen science benefits volunteers, the community and science itself.