Hehr, Wissehr Elected to Arkansas Environmental Education Association Board

Two University of Arkansas science educators were recently elected to the Arkansas Environmental Education Association Board of Directors for the 2011-2012 term.

Lynne Hehr is the director of the University of Arkansas STEM Center for Mathematics and Science Education, the Arkansas NASA Educator Resource Center and the University of Arkansas Discovery Zone, all based in the College of Education and Health Professions. She has provided a formal and non-formal education link between the Arkansas K-16 science, mathematics and technology education and research community at the University of Arkansas for more than 17 years.

Hehr's main responsibilities are connecting K-12 students and educators to materials, resources and personnel while providing professional development for K-16 pre- and in-service teachers. She chairs the annual state teacher Arkansas Curriculum Conference, directs the Northwest Arkansas Regional Science and Engineering Fair for fifth- through 12th-grade students and serves on local and national boards for the betterment of lifelong learners.

Cathy Wissehr is an assistant professor of science education in the College of Education and Health Professions with a background in ecology and environmental education. In her professional capacity, she has conducted research into various aspects of environmental education such as teacher and student misconceptions and outdoor classrooms and keeps current on research in the environmental education field through journals and conference attendance.

Wissehr is also assisting an Arkansas Department of Education committee writing an Environmental Literacy Action Plan for Arkansas with support from the North American Association for Environmental Education. The statewide plan would implement environmental education in grades K-12 as part of a larger initiative under the No Child Left Inside Act of 2009 that will require environmental education be taught as part of the school curricula. The curricula must include an outdoor learning component. States with an action plan in place will be more likely to be eligible to receive federal funding to implement their plans, Wissehr said. 

She also participates in the North American Association for Environmental Education Action Network Committee.

“We are pleased and excited to have Cathy and Lynne join our Board of Directors,” said Rob Beadel, AEEA incoming board president. “Their expertise, experience and enthusiasm will greatly benefit the board and help AEEA promote environmental education in the 'Natural State.'”

The Arkansas Environmental Education Association is a networking and information-based organization that works with educators, students, businesses, government agencies and the general public to increase the awareness and knowledge about the environment. AEEA works with environmental education providers to promote programs and increase capacity building of environmental education programs in the state.

AEEA is the only statewide network of environmental educators and is the state affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education. AEEA’s purpose is to promote and advocate for environmental education, which incorporates a number of disciplines including conservation and natural resource education.