Moderator: Yasmin Catricheo
Yasmin Catricheo is a Native American woman certified in physics education and employed by Associated Universities Inc. (AUI) in Washington D.C. as the Sr. STEM Education Specialist. At AUI she assists with and/or co-leads numerous STEM education projects as well as developing new initiatives. Examples of current projects include Innovators Developing Accessible for Astronomy, Network for Earth-Space Research Education and Innovation with Data, Cosmovisions of the Pacific Rim, Big Astronomy: People, Places, Discoveries and the North American Office of Astronomy for Development.
Catricheo earned a master’s degree in Education with a concentration in science from Universidad del Bío in Chile, and spent seven years teaching physics and other natural sciences in middle school, high school, and college. Her research focused on science pedagogy and improving science communication and argumentation skills in high school physics students. As a member of the MAPU TRAFUN association, and being of Mapuche origins, she has worked the past 10 years to preserve and share the Mapuche indigenous roots, knowledge and ways of knowing the universe through social and educational activities. She serves as the Governing Council Chairperson for the International Astronomical Union - North American Regional Office of Astronomy for Development, and Chief Executive Officer for Astronomers Without Borders.
