Gina Navoa Svarovsky

Dr. Gina Navoa Svarovsky has nearly two decades conducting research and evaluation on several NSF-funded projects and outreach efforts focused on STEM education. She has led multiple large-scale evaluations of public impact and learning around STEM learning as part of the National Informal STEM Education Network, conducts research on integrated STEM teaching and learning in formal classrooms and out-of-school learning contexts, and also leads strategic planning and logic model development sessions with program leaders. Dr. Svarovsky earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin
• M.S. in Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin
• M.Ed., University of Notre Dame

• Equity-centered preK-12 Engineering Education

• STEM Integration

• Informal STEM Learning (particularly in museums and programs)

• Pattison, S., Ramos-Montañez, S., & Svarovsky, G. (2022). Family values, parent roles,and life challenges: Parent reflections on the factors shaping long‐term interest development for young children and their families participating in an early childhood engineering program. Science Education, 106(6), 1568-1604.

• Pattison, S., Ramos Montañez, S., Svarovsky, G., & Tominey, S. (2022). Engineering for equity: Exploring the intersection of engineering education, family learning, early childhood, and equity. https://blog.terc.edu/engineering-for-equity

• Pattison, S., Svarovsky, G.N., Ramos-Montañez, S., Wagner, C., Corbett, A., Perdomo, M.E., Burgos, V.L., De Los Santos, S. (2022). Activity Design Principles that Support Family-Based Engineering Learning in Early Childhood. Paper presented at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching Annual Conference, Vancouver, B.C., March 2022.

• Cardella, M., Svarovsky, G. N., Pattison, S. (2020). Engineering Education in Pre-Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade: An Overview. Commissioned paper by the Committee on Enhancing Science and Engineering in Prekindergarten through Fifth Grade at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

• Pattison, S., Svarovsky, G., Ramos-Montanez, S., Gontan, I., Weiss, S., Benne, M., Nuñez, V., Corrie, P., & Smith, C. (2020). Understanding Early Childhood Engineering Interest Development as a Family-Level Systems Phenomenon: Findings from the Head Start in Engineering Project. Journal of Pre-college Engineering Education Research, 10(1), 6.

• Svarovsky, G. N., Wagner, C., & Cardella, M. E. (2018). Exploring moments of agency for girls during an Engineering Activity. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 6(3), 302-319.

• Pattison, S., Svarovsky, G., Gontan, I., Corrie, P., Benne, M., Weiss, S., Nuñez, V., & Ramos-Montanez, S. (2017). Head Start on Engineering: Teachers, informal STEM educators, and learning researchers collaborating to engage low income families with engineering. Connected Science Learning, 4(1).

• Learning in Informal Environments (ESS 20208)

• Characterization and Optimization of N-Heterocyclic Carbene Functionalized Nanoparticle Systems (2021-2024)

• REACH-ECE: Research Exploring Activity Characteristics and Heuristics for Early Childhood Education (2019-2023)

• Head Start on Engineering (2019-2023)

• RET Site: Biologically and Physically Inspired Computing Models and Systems (2019-2023)

• Center for Broader Impacts: Planning Grant (2022-2023)