About Beth Murphy

Thanks for this opportunity to introduce myself! You can find the details of my professional experience on my CV and by exploring my current and past projects, so I thought I’d use this space to tell you more about me—stuff that’s hard to get from a resume.

Scientist & educator. I’ve loved math for as long as I can remember, and this set me on the path to study physics in college. Early in my career, I followed a common path for a physics grad, earning an advanced degree and then pursuing an academic career. But, I found that the questions that kept calling to me, the ones that kept me up at night, were about science teaching and learning—not about experimental physics. Through a bit of effort, more than my share of luck, and after six years in academia, I found my way to a new career in informal science education. I spent 15+ years in leadership positions at The Bakken Museum where I oversaw a variety of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs for schools, youth and families and also designed and led professional development programs for teachers. Eventually, I launched my own business, which allows me to engage in the STEM education community more broadly and in new ways. Earlier in my STEM education work, I sometimes wondered if my time studying and working in physics was a career sidetrack. I now can say with confidence that having had that experience brings much value to the work I do today. I see the world both through the eyes of a scientist and those of an educator. The ways in which I look at things–the questions I ask, my approach to solving problems, how I use data and information–are all influenced by my scientific training, and this enhances the contributions I make to STEM education in useful ways.

Connection Maker. When it comes to STEM education, I have an extensive and diverse network and keep up on the latest developments in the field. I enjoy connecting people to people as well as people to information and ideas, with a focus on building our shared capacity to provide high-quality and meaningful STEM learning experiences. I thrive on building partnerships between people, programs, and organizations so that we can all do what we do even better and with greater impact.

Strategic Thinker. I’m always learning from experience—including mistakes—to build to improve the value and impact of STEM programs. With goals in mind, I guide those I work with to grow as continuous learners who use data and other information to guide planning, decision-making, and improvements to the design and delivery of educational programming. I don’t give up easily, and maybe sometimes I’m a bit stubborn—yet this is because I believe there is almost always a way around perceived challenges and obstacles. My goals are to do things better the next time around, and make good things even better.

Partner. I believe in meaningful, authentic collaboration. Lots of people and organizations care about STEM learning—educational institutions from preschool to grad school, science and engineering industries and other businesses, nonprofits and community organizations, parents, and more. I believe in the concepts of STEM learning ecosystems and collective impact—that there’s no “silver bullet” program or organization, but rather it’s the power of all of us working together that will truly make a difference. After all, it’s the cumulative STEM learning that happens in life—in and out of school, formally and informally, over time, and in all kinds of settings—that prepares young people to become the creative, STEM-skilled thinkers and innovators of the future. We all bring something to the table and have roles to play in the STEM education landscape. Let’s work together to discover what’s possible.