Jane 
Since getting older and being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, I’ve become especially interested in the topic of the aging brain. The good news is that neuroplasticity enables the brain to modify its structure and function in response to experience. (Interestingly, early scientific evidence for anatomical brain plasticity was discovered in the 1960s by Marian Diamond … Read more
While I was at NSF, a program officer in the Division of Undergraduate Education (Myles Boylan) requested my input on a proposal from SENCER (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities). I was excited to see that this program was founded on aspects of informal learning, creating college courses based on civic engagement that … Read more
During my time at NSF, I had the opportunity to review thousands of proposals in my capacity as a program officer, section head, deputy division director, and acting division director. Unfortunately, most of them had to be declined. Of course, the funds available were a major limiting factor. (The process by which the budget of … Read more
Informal learning can be defined in a variety of ways. George Tressel, a predecessor at NSF, described it based on the setting: “Most people, most of the time, learn most of what they know outside the classroom.” That shouldn’t be surprising, since most people spend only about 5% of their lifetime in school, as illustrated … Read more
