Adrienne Hanson

MMSA Title: Research Associate

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY (The BEST NYC borough)

Education: B.A. in Biology from Bowdoin College with a minor in Sociology; Ed.M. candidate class of 2025 Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Something you’re proud of at MMSA: I’m proud to collaborate with incredibly reflective and innovative colleagues who are committed to rigorous and equitable math and science education in Maine and beyond.

What is your teaching/learning philosophy: Relationships, relationships, relationships.

What is your STEM passion area: I am incredibly passionate about the development and implementation of NGSS aligned science storylines. I have witnessed the power of storylines to transform a classroom into a scientific community where all students feel a sense of belonging.

What do you like most about your role at MMSA: I love that as a member of the research team I have the opportunity to learn from amazing teachers and students across multiple states as they figure out phenomena.

Favorite STEM-related memory: After college I worked for a small organic vegetable farm. Wow! Talk about application of so many different STEM related skills. It was a very humbling experience.

What did you do before you worked at MMSA: I taught middle and high school science in multiple Southern Maine school districts.

What do you like to do in your free time:I love to spend time outside with my partner and our 8 year old pup, Max. I also enjoy cooking delicious meals and dancing zumba.

What memory from your childhood would you like to share that exemplifies why you do the STEM education related work that you do: I had a very traditional, so called “rigorous,” K-12 STEM education where I memorized many textbooks and took a lot of tests. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time feeling uninspired, bored, and frankly, out of place in STEM classes. STEM has come a long way since my K-12 years and I’m proud to be part of the changes that make STEM experiences more equitable, meaningful, and just plain fun.