The STEM TRAIL Center is an interdisciplinary, multi-college initiative led by faculty dedicated to creating innovations in STEM education.
Day-to-day operations of the Center are led by a dedicated group of faculty and staff tasked with operationalizing the UNO STEM Strategic Plan. A 4-member advisory council supports the leadership with oversight from a council of three college Dean's and the Office of Academic Affairs. The UNO STEM Strategic Plan was developed via input from 56 affiliated faculty, staff, administrators, students, and community groups. Faculty represented all 6 academic colleges.
Faculty Leadership
Christopher Moore, Ph.D.
Derrick Nero, Ed.D.
Associate Director for External Partnerships
STEM TRAIL Center
dnero@unomaha.edu- Associate Professor, Teacher Education
Tracie Reding, Ed.D.
Research Director
STEM TRAIL Center
treding@unomaha.edu- STEM Education Research, Assessment, and Evaluation
Ashley Gartner, Ed.D.
Research Associate
STEM TRAIL Center
agartner@unomaha.edu- STEM Education Research, Assessment, and Evaluation
Ren Mendoza, Ph.D.
Faculty Leadership Fellow
STEM TRAIL Center
krende@unomaha.edu- Assistant Professor, Teacher Education
Paul W. Denton, PhD
Alfredo Perez, Ph.D.
Faculty Leadership Fellow
STEM TRAIL Center
alfredoperez@unomaha.edu- Associate Professor, Computer Science
Nikae Perkinson
Staff
Erin Dahl
Deanna Johansen
Project Coordinator
STEM TRAIL Center
deejohansen@gmail.com- Scholarship programs and NE Science Olympiad
Krista Testin
Alisa Teevens
Sandy Bolamperti
Julie Sigmon
Director Emeritus
Omaha STEM Ecosystem
jsigmon@unomaha.edu- Community partnerships and workforce pipeline development
Deans
Neal Grandgenett, Ph.D.
Martha Garcia-Murillo, Ph.D.
Lee D. and Willa Seemann Distinguished Dean
College of Information Science & Technology
Melanie Bloom, Ph.D.
Faculty Advisory Council
Kelly Gomez-Johnson, Ed.D.
she | her | hers
Associate Professor, Teacher Education
College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
kgomezjohnson@unomaha.edu
Michael Matthews, Ph.D.
Claudia Rauter, Ph.D.
Brian Dorn, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Computer Science
College of Information Science and Technology
bdorn@unomaha.edu