Julie Luft
Mathematics and Science Education (Faculty)
Endowed Professor - Science Education
212A Aderhold
Phone: 706.542.1763
Email: jaluft@uga.edu
Dr. Luft graduated from the University of Iowa in 1994, after teaching middle and high school science for 5 years. She has previously held appointments at The University of Arizona, The University of Texas at Austin, and Arizona State University. She is currently the Athletic Association Professor of Mathematics and Science Education at the University of Georgia, and she holds an adjunct appointment in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. Her areas of expertise are science teacher education (both preservice, induction, and in-service), mixed methods research, and science teacher beliefs and practices.
As a researcher in the area of science teacher education, it is important to Dr. Luft that her teaching and research impact the lives of science teachers. As a result, she frequently works with teachers and organizations on the development and implementation of courses and programs, and the creation of products for science teachers. These collaborations have resulted in, to list a few; a Master’s program to certify science teachers, an induction program for science teachers, classrooms that highlight exemplary practice, and a process of sharing educational research with science teachers. Along with a passion for the teaching component of science teacher education, she is committed to studying and examining various components of the science teacher education process. Her research in science teacher education began with an examination of teachers observing and learning from each other during professional development programs, and expanded to studies of teachers working in diverse settings and teachers learning to create inquiry based lessons. The current work that she is engaged in focuses on beginning secondary science teachers, and faculty knowledge and instruction in the undergraduate biology classroom. Undergraduate education is a new and exciting area of study for Dr. Luft, and she is looking forward to her potential contributions in this field. Her early research was the result of funding acquired through the Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Education Program, while her current research is funded by the National Science Foundation.
Dr. Luft has written numerous research articles, book chapters, and editorials, and she has co-edited books that are on-line and free to all science educators. Her most important presentations consist of keynote talks at conferences, invited talks at universities, and testimony at the Capitol in the United States. She has served on the board and as President of the Association of Science Teacher Educators (ASTE), a council member for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the Director of Research of NSTA, a board member of NSTA, the NSTA representative to the National Association for the Research in Science Teaching board, and she has served as an Associate Editor for the Electronic Journal of Science Education and the School Science and Mathematics journal. She was the first scholar in residence at NSTA. As an advocate for graduate students, she has participated as a mentor in the 2009 and 2011 for the Sandra K. Abell Summer Research Institute, and in the South African Association for Research in Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Summer School. She is currently a returning Associate Editor for the Journal of Research in Science Teaching (JRST). In 2010, she was, received the ASTE outstanding science teacher educator award, and became an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow. In 2012, she and her former doctoral students received the JRST Award for their research publication on beginning science teachers.