Mary K. Stapleton

Dr. Mary K. Stapleton serves as the Director of the Towson University Center for STEM Excellence. Located in the heart of Baltimore City, the Center for STEM Excellence is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach center that serves K-12 students and teachers across the state of Maryland. Her early fascination with how culture and identity shape scientific inquiries has significantly influenced her work. Her scientific research examined the reproductive behavior of Tree Swallows (a small migratory songbird) with a focus on the benefits of multiple mating to females (as previous research focused mainly on males). As a K-12 STEM educator, Dr. Stapleton helps students and teachers explore the nature of science and how scientific knowledge is developed. She is keenly interested in justice-centered pedagogical practices and how they can be used to engage and inspire the next generation. Dr. Stapleton and her team have been developing and delivering professional development programs focused on climate change education for in-service STEM teachers since the U.S. released the Next Generation Science Standards.