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The Talk to Me team (read our bios below) created this web site to inspire young people to engage in engineering. So…what is engineering? At Smith College we view engineering as applying science and mathematics in the service of humanity. We based the educational design of the web site on the theory that “narrative” (story) has the power to engage the imagination and convey a coherent understanding of our world.
We’re developing additional interactive activities that tie in with the novel. And we’ll be expanding the website in other ways to better support both formal and informal education. For questions or more information on the project, please send an email.
...teaches dogs bad manners...talks back to voice mail messages...daydreams when he should be paying attention...can watch a movie and not remember the name of one character...has a secret room ready in case he ever turns into a vampire...is inspired by students every day.
Glenn Ellis is the project leader and an instructional designer for Talk to Me. He is an Associate Professor of Engineering at Smith College. Glenn received his doctorate in Civil Engineering and Operations Research from Princeton University. Glenn teaches courses in engineering mechanics, artificial intelligence and educational methods for teaching science and engineering. The winner of numerous teaching and research awards, Glenn received the 2007 U.S. Professor of the Year Award for Baccalaureate Colleges from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Glenn has worked extensively with K-12 teachers and college faculty, public and private school systems, and colleges and universities to support educational reform. His current research focuses on the use of narrative and knowledge building to encourage deep, intentional learning in engineering and science.
...laughs loudest at her own jokes...gets lost in department stores...talks to strangers...once caught a runaway donkey using a dog leash and carrots...drives too slowly and eats too fast...wishes she could breathe under water...believes people are basically good at heart.
Sonia Ellis is the author of Talk to Me and the senior instructional designer for the Talk to Me project. She is a professional writer, editor, and instructional designer whose published work includes fiction, feature stories, profiles, articles on science and engineering, marketing literature, and educational modules. Sonia received her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, where she received numerous honors for academic achievement. She received her master's degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University. She has contributed to research and development projects in fields ranging from consumer products to veterinary medicine.
...has a Jersey accent when she’s not paying attention…spends most of her free time with a brainless horse…enjoys eavesdropping on interesting conversations…passionately dislikes loft beds (and trying to put sheets on them)…once read a story about a man trying to catch a runaway pony by tackling it…loves good books and all the amazing worlds they create.
Lucy McAuliffe is the senior editor and an instructional designer for the Talk to Me Project. Lucy is currently a student at Smith College, majoring in American Studies and Environmental Science & Policy. She is a First Group Scholar, and recipient of awards including the Newton Arvin Prize in American Studies and a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. She plans to enter the publishing industry upon her graduation in 2012.
...never met a form of potato she didn’t like…has a bug phobia…loves Judge Judy…wishes she could prove that an Irish saint discovered America…almost simultaneously broke both legs playing football on the beach…has a love/hate relationship with her red hair…is the very proud mom of two amazing adult children.
Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh is the outreach director for Talk to Me. A graduate of Springfield Technical Community College, Beth returned to school some years ago as a non-traditional student in the Engineering Transfer program at STCC, eventually transferring to the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she majored in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a concentration in Structural Engineering and Mechanics. She is currently an Assistant Professor at STCC teaching both introductory physics and statics for Engineering and Engineering Technology students, and is developing a strong interest in good teaching and learning practices in these fields along with the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in these areas.
…loves teaching people how to cook...sings at the top of her lungs when no one is home…likes playing tennis...wishes she could travel all over the world…really dislikes regular alarm clocks…thinks snow is magic...longs for summer in Montana...wishes on stars...
Isabel Huff is an instructional designer and blogger for the Talk to Me Project. She is a student at Smith College and a recipient of Smith’s STRIDE Scholarship.
...has a toe that looks like a palm tree...enjoys challenges…would like to live in the woods or on a private lake…believes the best books are those that have been banned or challenged…has an irrational fear of carpenter ants…is an avid board gamer…is inspired by the power of education.
Katie Moran is an instructional designer for the Talk to Me project. Katie received her bachelor’s degree from Smith College with a double major in English Language and Literature and Education and Child Study. At Smith, Katie researched engineering education in K-12 schools, explored interests in urban education, and developed curricula specifically for the interests and cognitive abilities of adolescents. Katie is currently a student at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English, and a seventh-grade English Language Arts teacher in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
...has been wearing the same ring on her pinky finger since she was nine...has debates about what to call her hair color on a weekly basis...loves rollerblading...would give anything for more freckles...never gets tired of finding new TV shows... thinks the wisest advice comes from Calvin and Hobbes...
Sally Stulberg is the multimedia designer for Talk to Me. She graduated from Smith College in 2011 with a B.S. in Engineering Science and a minor in Film Studies. She was introduced to video production in Glenn Ellis' continuum mechanics course where she produced an educational video about creep, the tendency for materials deform over time. Sally's documentary, "Sibling Revelries," was a finalist for the Chronicle of Higher Learning's monthly film festival and won "Best Documentary" and "Best of Smith College" at the 2011 Five College Film Festival. She works in postproduction in New York City.
...loves Google, viral videos, and the internets…wants to be an amateur photographer...enjoys playing tennis...thinks giraffes are one of the coolest animals ever...can't understand why the pesky kids in the Trix commercials can't share Trix cereal/yogurt with the silly rabbit...likes to mentor and tutor kids who want to learn.
Netty Nina is an instructional designer for Talk to Me. She graduated from Smith College in 2007 with a B.S. in Engineering Science. She received the Nancy Hellmann Prize in 2007, given to the Smith engineering student who has made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of women in engineering. Netty currently works for an engineering consulting firm with a focus on energy efficiency in buildings. She also participates actively in the Boston chapter of Society of Hispanic Professional Engineer and local outreach activities.
Springfield Technical Community College
Longobardo - Wyckoff Engineering Fund
Branta Foundation
