Sanlyn Buxner, Assistant research professor in the department of Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies at the University of Arizona, has over 20 years of experience in science and outdoor education. Her research interests include examining issues related to scientific literacy; how to measure it and investigating how it is changed by education, outreach, and online media. Additionally she investigates how science research experiences can be used to improve both science understanding and empowerment of teachers and students. She works as an external evaluator for NASA, NSF, and NIH funded projects.