Ceramic Tech Chat

STEM outreach in rural communities: Katrina Donovan

The American Ceramic Society Episode 50

Many rural communities have a great need for expanded access to STEM education. Katrina Donovan, faculty member in the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, discusses her expansive background across different materials, describes her current research on using local materials to create clays and ceramic glazes, and shares her numerous STEM outreach programs to help inspire and teach students and educators across the state.

View the transcript for this episode here.

About the guest
Katrina Donovan is faculty member in the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Her current research focuses on using local materials to make clays and ceramic glazes. She is passionate about STEM outreach and runs several different programs to support science education in her local community. Learn about some of these programs: STEM experiences for high school students in partnership with the U.S. Army; National Science Foundation grant to incorporate creative ceramic and glass science elements into the undergraduate materials engineering curriculum; and National Science Foundation grant to establish an educational research experience for students that is tied to local South Dakota geology and culture.

About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students working with ceramics and related materials.