Center’s Staff
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| Dr. Jack Rhoton |
Dr. Jack Rhoton,
Executive Director,
Center of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education
Dr. Jack Rhoton has dedicated nearly 20 years at East Tennessee State University, building a nationally recognized professional development program for science education, K -16. Prior to joining ETSU in 1987, Rhoton had 15 years of experience in public school settings in which he served as a high school science teacher and K -12 science supervisor. Known for his creative approaches to investigating science education issues, his work focuses on the preparation of pre-service and in-service teachers of science and mathematics. His efforts have impacted university faculty members; K -12 teachers; and elementary, middle and high school students. He has received nearly six million dollars in grant funding to support math and science education in Northeast Tennessee. A prolific science education author, he has published five books and sixty journal articles, and he has made numerous presentations at the local, state, and national levels. Further, thousands of students have been positively affected as a result of his many endeavors.
Rhoton has served as president of the National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA), Tennessee Academy of Science (TAS), and the Tennessee Science Teachers Association (TSTA). He has also served as program chair for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) area Conferences and as an NSTA board member, editor of a series of NSTA/NSELA publications, including the Science Educator Journal.
He has received many honors, including the National Science Education Leadership Outstanding Science Education Leadership Award, National Science Teachers Association Distinguished Service Award, East Tennessee State University Distinguished Faculty Award, Tennessee Academy of Science Outstanding Science Teacher Award, and the Tennessee Science Teachers Association Distinguished Educator of the Year Award.
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| Dr. Chih-Che Tai |
Dr. Chih-Che Tai,
Assistant Director/Professor of Science Education
Center of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education
Dr. Chih-Che Tai joined the Department of Curriculum and Instruction as assistant professor of science education where he will serve as the assistant director of the Center of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education (CEMSE) at East Tennessee State University. Prior to arriving at ETSU on July 1, 2009, he was a Ph. D. student at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Dr. Tai’s academic activities include teaching science education content and method courses, developing and implementing grant proposals to improve math and science education at all levels, cooperating with STEM education faculty on grant proposals to improve math and science education, and assisting in the university’s outreach and research efforts in math and science education. His research interests include investigating students’ conceptual understanding of science, studying the application of technology (particularly Web 2.0) to STEM education, investigating students’ understanding of science in different countries or learning environments, and studying the learning of science in informal educational settings.
Dr. Tai holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Chemistry from National Taiwan University Taiwan, is a certified chemistry and physics teacher in Taiwan and holds a Ph. D. degree in Science Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. He has taught physics and chemistry in middle schools in Taiwan.
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| Dr. Aimee L. Govett |
Dr. Aimee Govett
K-6 Science Specialist
Dr. Aimee Govett is an associate professor of science education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at East Tennessee State University, having earned an Ed.D. from West Virginia University. Prior to coming to ETSU, she taught for five years at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas where she was appointed program director and advisor for the Professional Development Degree in Science and Education (PDDSE) an alternative teacher licensure program. Her teaching experience includes elementary science methods, secondary science methods, cultural diversity, and various graduate courses such as physics for teachers, evolution & the nature of science, science curriculum & theory, and curriculum development.
Dr. Govett now serves as the Faculty Senate Representative from the Clemmer College of Education (2006-2009), as a member of Faculty Senate Committee: Research, Creative, and Scholarly Activities (2006-2007), and as a Scientist Voting Member of the campus Institutional Review Board (IRB) Standing Committee (until August 15, 2008). Her responsibilities as a Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative for the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) (2004-2008) and her position as Student Tennessee Education Association (STEA) advisor require commitments at the state, regional, and national levels.
Her grant experience includes awards as a principal investigator on various General Competition projects (TQI: Tennessee Higher Education Commission) and Eisenhower Professional Development Program Awards, and as a consultant and site coordinator and lead faculty on other outside funding (NSF, US Department of Education, and Eisenhower).
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Ryan Nivens |
Mr. Ryan Nivens
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education
Mr. Ryan Nivens is an assistant professor of mathematics education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at East Tennessee State University, currently ABD from the University of Missouri. Prior to working at ETSU, he was a full time graduate student and fellow of the Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum (CSMC) at the University of Missouri, a mathematics education consultant for the state of Missouri Department of Education, and a teacher for Springfield Public Schools.
As a graduate research assistant, he worked extensively in a National Science Foundation funded study of alternatively certified mathematics and science teachers. In this work he visited many teachers across the state and observed their classes over a three-year period. Additionally, he taught mathematics methods courses for both elementary and secondary undergraduate and graduate students, as well as some general education courses. Before leaving the University of Missouri, he received a nomination for the MU College of Education Instructor of the Year (2008) and received the MU Graduate Student Association Superior Graduate Achievement Award (2008) for his service to the university and work within the department of Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum. Also, he received a University of Missouri Graduate Student Association Travel Grant (2006) and the Lois Knowles Scholarship (2005-06, 2006-07).
While consulting for the Missouri Department of Education (1999-2007), he worked extensively with the Missouri Math Academy, a statewide program aimed to improve the teaching and content knowledge of middle school mathematics teachers. In this role he helped develop curriculum for teachers in both algebra and geometry and worked on its modification year-to-year with the other consultants using the Japanese lesson study model.
Mr. Nivens taught for seven years in the public schools. He began teaching 8th grade mathematics at Carver Middle School where he was recognized by the district as Teacher of the Month in 1999. After 2 years, he moved to Central High School where he taught mathematics and computer programming. While at CHS, he increased enrollment in the programming classes so that in his final year he was able to teach Computer Science at the SL level in the International Baccalaureate program. In 2002, he successfully completed the Academy for Developmentally Centered Education through the Yale Child Study Center School Development Program while CHS was transitioning to a “Comer School” model. He received a Teacher Appreciation Award from one of his former students in the Missouri Scholars Academy (2006). His interests also included coaching girls’ tennis and soccer and founding academic clubs.
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Alan Redmond |
Mr. Alan Redmond,
Adjunct Science Faculty Member
Mr. Alan Redmond is an adjunct faculty member with the Clemmer College of Education at East Tennessee State University. Previously he served thirty years with the Kingsport (Tennessee) City Schools as a science teacher, coach and administrator. He spent nine summers as co-director of the Kingsport City Schools Summer Science Challenge, a hands-on enrichment program.
While with the Kingsport City Schools he also served three years on-loan to Eastman Chemical Company as a school liaison. At Eastman he helped establish the company’s Putting Children First program connecting industry with area schools. He organized and directed Eastman’s Science in the Summer enrichment program in conjunction with the Scott County (Virginia) Schools. The program ran for fourteen summers serving over two thousand youngsters and received the Gustav Ohaus Award for creative science programs from the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). He also designed the popular Eastman Discovery Lab at the Hands-On Regional Museum in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Redmond is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Secondary Science Teaching, the National Catalyst Award for Excellence in Chemistry Teaching, the Tennessee Academy of Science Outstanding Science Teachers Award and is listed in the first edition of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers--nominated by former students. He has served on the board of directors of the Tennessee Science Teachers Association, the manuscript review panel for Science Scope magazine and the NSTA national laboratory safety committee.
His Energyport Project which involved students in solving the energy problems of an imaginary city earned the STAR Award from NSTA. The project was published and presented at an international science educators’ conference. He has authored numerous science articles / grants and has conducted science teacher workshops in several states and Canada.
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| Dr. Hugh Imboden |
Dr. Hugh Imboden
Adjunct Professor of Mathematics Education
Dr. Hugh Imboden is Adjunct Professor in the Mathematics Department and the College of Education at East Tennessee State University. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Mathematics from Emporia (KS) State University and a PhD in Mathematics Education with a concentration in mathematics from The University of Missouri at Columbia. He has been teaching classes in mathematics and education as well as educational technology for many years at East Tennessee State University. Prior to his teaching at ETSU, he was Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Technology at Milligan College. In addition, he was employed by Johnson City (TN) Schools for many years serving as Mathematics Coordinator, Technology Coordinator, and teacher of mathematics and computer science. He has over 45 years teaching experience in teaching in public schools in Missouri and Tennessee. He has conducted computer camps for teachers and students of all ages and held innumerable workshops for mathematics teachers from Kindergarten through twelfth grade through his firm, Imboden Educational Consulting.
Dr. Imboden has been active in professional organizations, including a long time membership in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and service in several offices including that of President of the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He served as a Regional Coordinator for the Northwest Missouri Mathematics Consortium to assist other high school mathematics teachers in that region to improve their mathematical knowledge and teaching skills. He, along with Dr. Janice Huang, conceived and organized the Upper East Tennessee Council of Teachers of Mathematics and he served as its first president. He has been a speaker at many state, regional, and national meetings of mathematics teachers. He has published several articles in local and state newsletters and magazines and contributed a chapter to a book published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He recently served as Teacher/Coordinator for a three-county project to assist mathematics teachers through a Gear-Up project administered through the Center of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education at East Tennessee State University.
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| Ms. Angela Haga |
Ms. Angela Haga
Executive Secretary
Angela serves as the new Executive Secretary for the Center of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Education. She is also the Executive Coordinator for the Tennessee Governor's School for Scientific Models and Data Analysis here at E.T.S.U. She is a native of the Southwest Virginia area, and currently resides with her her two (2) daughters in Bristol, TN. Angela is a graduate of Honaker High School in Honaker, Va and brings many skills to her new position. She has a wide array of work experience, including: administrative assistant, rental car manager, substitute teacher, finance specialist, customer associate, executive administrative assistant, and executive secretary. Her hobbies include: crafting, interior decorating, gardening, reading, cooking, tennis, and scrap-booking.