CATALyST
to Yield Scientific Thinking
Linda Ramsey Biographical Sketch
Linda Ramsey serves as the Director of CATALyST (Center for Applied Teaching and Learning to Yield Scientific Thinking), Louisiana Tech University’s K-12 science and mathematics education center. Ms. Ramsey has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principle Investigator on externally funded programs (1992 – present) that focus on reform of preservice and inservice education; funding in excess of $10 million supports these programs. Approximately 1500 practicing teachers from 900 schools in 5 states have participated in the multi-year professional development programs under her direction. As CATALyST Director she works directly with school systems to design professional development programs that specifically meet the needs of their teachers and students. Ms. Ramsey was recently honored (2003) as the 1st recipient of the Claudia Fowler Distinguished Service in Science Education Award presented by the Louisiana Science Teacher Association to an individual who has had a major impact state-wide on improving science education.
Ms. Ramsey has made more than 70 presentations at science education conferences such as The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conferences (national and regional) and the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). She has served as an invited presenter to the National Academy of Sciences, the Puerto Rico Systemic Initiative, the annual state conference of the Louisiana Collaborative for the Preparation of Teachers, and the Fifth Chemical Conference of North America (Cancun). In addition, she has co-taught an NSF-Chautauqua Short Course titled, “Designing and Running Investigative Laboratories” that was offered in Puerto Rico. She regularly serves as an external evaluator for NSF-funded programs that focus on professional development or curricular reform or revision.
Ms. Ramsey also serves as the Director of the Center for Educational Excellence, Louisiana Tech’s faculty/staff professional development center and is an Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences. As such she designs and facilitates workshops and reading groups that focus on a variety of teaching and learning issues in higher education. She also organizes Brown Bag Lunches through which faculty share their research and innovative instructional approaches, a New Faculty Academy, and programs for graduate teaching assistants. She is co-author of the laboratory manual that is used by the introductory biology laboratories.
