Pamela Joslyn

U.S. Department of Defense
Muscatine, IA

Pamela Joslyn, with 30 years of science teaching experience, taught 8th grade science and high school biology at Susan Clark Junior High in Muscatine, Iowa. Pamela has taught physics, AP Physics, chemistry, earth science, physical science, biology, and middle school. She has taught at Muscatine High School, Stillwater Junior High in Stillwater, Minnesota, and Northeast Middle School in Minneapolis. She received her B.S. in Genetics from Iowa State University and a M.S. in Science Education from Montana State University. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate through Drake University. Selected as a recipient of the Catherine Miller Explorer Award from the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, Pamela toured Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, and she provided outreach opportunities to her local community connecting cultures, wildlife, and geology. Pamela has developed various engineering activities including a security system (with lasers and photoreceptors), cardboard boat regattas, design of cell phone cases, and car crash tests. As a 2019 Fulbright Distinguished Teacher Award recipient, Pamela researched how the design process in science and engineering practices and problem-based learning is taught in STEM and/or science classrooms in the Helsinki, Finland area through a collaboration with the University of Helsinki. Pamela piloted a community-school partnership to reduce organic waste partnering with the City of Muscatine and received the A Celia B. Godsil Grant in Place Fellowship to purchase bins for the students and school to collect organic waste. She presented the project locally, regionally, and nationally. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow awarded technology to produce videos for the student project. Through a U.S. State Department Alumni Thematic International Exchange, Pamela received a grant to coordinate with the University of Iowa STEM Innovator program to teach communication and ignite a passion for sustainable development goals in the Muscatine community. Through community partnerships, Pamela aimed to empower students, educators, and community members to provide a system-thinking approach to problem solving. During her lived experiences, Pamela continued to develop her worldview and construct more connections to the natural world. To provide a global perspective as a science educator, Pamela created the acronym: ORBIT (observe, relate, broaden, impact, think again). She constantly asks her students to make Observations and Relate what they have learned and apply it to their immediate world. She asks students to Broaden their world view to another part of the world or through a different cultural perspective. Pamela believes students can make an Impact in their community or even globally. Finally, Pamela asks students to reevaluate or Think again about their original ideas and mindfully consider the development of their transformed ideas. Pamela, passionate about education, continues to increase her capacity to build a collaborative culture and foster meaningful learning experiences.

Judy Butcher