Anna Courtier

My scientific roots are in geology—I attended UW-Madison as an undergrad and later earned my PhD in Geophysics at the University of Minnesota. After that, I was a professor in James Madison University’s Department of Geology and Environmental Science.  I collaborated with several geoscience education researchers there, and my primary professional interests began to shift toward science outreach and community engagement (though I will always be a geologist at heart—there are rocks in my office to prove it!).

I made the transition by moving back to Wisconsin and serving as the Science Outreach Coordinator at UW-Whitewater, about 10 miles from my hometown. In 2017, I joined the WISCIENCE staff as the Director of Community-Based Learning.

I teach two undergraduate classes:

• Integrated Science 140: Exploring Service in STEM (a seminar for first-year students)
• Integrated Science 240: Service with Youth in STEM (a community-based learning class that is available to all undergraduate students)

I am also the Director for the STEM Public Service Fellows program, a year-long professional development sequence for graduate students and postdocs who are interested in connecting their scientific work with community partners across Madison.

Outside of work I enjoy modern art, used bookstores, trivia, and traveling to big cities. And of course, rocks.