STEERING COMMITTEE
Jack Crane
Science Fair Project Director
ConnStep
Jack was previously Director of Olin Metals Research Laboratory and was responsible for process and product development in the metals and microelectronics packaging materials segment of Olin's businesses. He is currently a consultant with CONNSTEP, Inc, a non-profit consulting group assisting Connecticut manufacturers to become more competitive businesses.
He received his B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from Purdue University and his M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from Yale University.
Phone & Fax: 203-393-0401
Email: jcrane@connstep.org
Maureen Coelho
Science Fair Program Consultant
New Haven Science Fair Program, GNHCC
A former secondary education teacher and educational nonprofit administrator, Maureen has worked with the science fair program since its inception in 1994. As project manager from 1994-2007, Maureen worked together with Jack Crane and the original steering committee members to expand the science fair event into a four-tier program which included professional development for teachers, a mentor program, family science nights, and a high school internship program in the earlier years. The science fair also grew to encompass preschool through grade 12 with an emphasis on investigative projects. In 2012, after completing studies in executive non-profit management at Cornell University and opening her own business, Maureen accepted the position of Science Fair Program Consultant through the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. She currently oversees administrative operations of the science fair program.
Phone: 203-782-4334
Email: mcoelho@gnhcc.com
Christin E. Arnini
Mentor Program Coordinator
New Haven Science Fair Program, GNHCC
Christin is a retired science teacher who taught in the New Haven Public Schools for 31 years. One key element of her teaching was to help students take part in substantive conversations and make real world connections to science and the natural world. In addition to classroom experience she's done curriculum development, coordinated regional High School Earth Day Summits, worked with Youth at Risk in Adapted Outward Bound Wilderness programs, and has run after school programs to create student and school community involvement in Environmental Issues. She has an M.S. degree in Education from Southern CT State University, an M.A. degree in Personal Counseling from St. Joseph University, CT and an M.A. degree in Environmental Studies from Johnson State College, VT. As Mentor Coordinator, Christin oversees the mentor program, including recruitment, communications, and assignment of mentors to teachers in New Haven Public Schools.
Email: nhsciencefair@gnhcc.com
Giuliana Prior
Family Science Night Coordinator
New Haven Science Fair Program, GNHCC
Giuliana is an elementary school teacher in the Shelton, Connecticut community. She earned her B.S. in Early Childhood Education with minors in STEM and Psychology from Southern Connecticut State University. She also earned her M.S. Science Education from Southern Connecticut State University. Giuliana is a highly motivated and dedicated educator who wants all children to be successful learners.
As the Family Science Night Coordinator, she creates virtual science programming for students and their families, working with schools to distribute it and teaching volunteers to navigate a new world of online teaching and learning.
Phone: 203-645-4846
Email: digliog2@southernct.edu
Melanie Bauer
Judge Coordinator & Science Fair Program Assistant
New Haven Science Fair Program, GNHCC
Melanie received her B.A. in Psychology from New College of Florida and her M.A. in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. Some of her favorite teaching experiences have been in informal science education and science outreach. She currently serves as Grant Writing Manager at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and supports the Science Fair remotely from South FL. At NSU she works with faculty in their grant seeking endeavors.
As Judge Coordinator/Science Fair Program Assistant, Melanie helps recruit judges for the fair and organizes judging and logistics for the fair in May. She also created and maintains the Science Fair website.
Email: melanie.s.bauer@gmail.com
Claudia Merson
Director of Public School Partnerships
Yale University
Claudia serves as Yale University's representative to the New Haven Public School community. She has established a broad array of sustainable programs and partnerships between Yale and NHPS. Most recently she has helped to establish the Pathways to Science initiative. Serving over 1,000 middle and high school students each year, Pathways is a data-driven approach to helping public school students achieve success in science. Claudia came to Yale with 21 years of experience as a teacher, librarian, and program and curriculum developer. She has a M.A. in Education from Harvard University and a B.A. in Education from Georgia State University.
Phone: 203-432-4098
Email: claudia.merson@yale.edu
Christine Caragianis Broadbridge, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Research and Innovation
Education Director, CRISP at Yale/SCSU
Christine received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Engineering from Brown University, where she conducted research in the fields of materials science, semiconductor electronics, and solid-state physics. She has expertise in the areas of surface science, nanomaterials, and electron microscopy. While working at Trinity College, she established a materials processing and characterization facility. She also founded and directed the United Technologies/Trinity College Engineering Initiative (UTCEI), a program designed to enhance the representation of women and underrepresented minorities in engineering and science.
In January of 1998, Christine was appointed Visiting Fellow at Yale University and in September of 2000 she joined the Physics Department at SCSU. In 2005, Christine took on the role of Education Director for the newly established Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena (CRISP), an NSF-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at Yale/SCSU. Examples of her national service include her role as Chair of the MRSEC Education Director's network as well as New England Zone Councilor and Diversity Chair for the Society of Physics Students National Council. Recently, she was appointed inaugural Director of the ConnSCU Center for Nanotechnology. Her continued participation in outreach efforts are facilitated by her many contacts in academia, industry, and in urban school districts.
Phone: 203-392-6461
Email: Broadbridge@SouthernCT.edu
Maria E. Parente, Ph.D.
Coordinator of Community Programs in Science
Yale University
Maria earned her B.S. from Cornell University in Human Development, her M.S. in Psychology from Yale University, and her Ph.D. in Education from University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on the relation between youth out-of-school time and academic/social development. She currently works as the Coordinator for Yale Pathways to Science, Yale's coordinated science outreach effort. Pathways is a data-driven approach to helping public school students achieve success in science.
Phone: 203-436-4677
Email: maria.parente@yale.edu