Karleen Lynch

Pearl City, HI | 7-12, Science, 2023

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

Often STEM is viewed as the antithesis to the humanities. Students who gravitate towards the arts or similar subjects are quick to say, “they aren’t good at science.” When in reality, science is part beauty, part analytical thinking, and creativity. Seeing students become passionate in a subject they may have written off, or others wrote off for them, is what truly motivates me.

What has been the most transformative moment that affirmed your impact on STEM education?

Seeing my former students move on to study biology or other science fields is probably the most rewarding for me. Particularly, if that student came in with any hesitation about what they wanted to pursue and left having a further clarified vision for their own future.

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

I hope to encourage students to be healthy skeptics and critical thinkers in an age where there is so much information available to them. In a country that values innovation, I hope students leaving my class are not afraid to ask questions, fail, and then try again. This is the recipe for advancement in STEM.

Biography

Karleen “Karly” Lynch has taught science at schools that represent a rural, urban, and suburban demographic that have spanned the states of Virginia, Hawaii, and Kentucky. Each placement has allowed her to connect with students in unique and enriching ways, as well as learning from the community that supports each school. Karly believes in bringing authentic experiences to the classroom that allow students to explore and connect life science to the world around them. Examples include taking students on an annual hike to explore native and invasive species, bringing in local fishmongers to talk about sustainable fishing models, and having students use professional laboratory grade electrophoresis and PCR machines to analyze their own DNA samples. Karly thrives on connecting and growing with other educators through professional development and fellowship opportunities. She was a part of the 2020-2022 Hawaii State Teacher Fellows and the 2023 cohort of the Career Academy Leaders Collaborative. She has also been a reader for AP Biology since 2021. Karly earned a B.S. in biology and an M.A.T. from James Madison University. She is certified to teach middle school science and biology for grades 6-12.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

The views expressed in awardee profiles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF or the PAEMST program.