Science and Engineering Education Center

IDEAS - Innovation Driven Engineering And Science™

Meet the Staff

Dr. Kenneth Berry

Kenneth Berry is an Assistant Director of the Science and Engineering Education Center at UTD. He received his Ed.D. in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University. He was an Associate Professor at California State University, Northridge before coming to UTD. He has been working with robots in the classroom for over 10 years, starting at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA's lead center for the robotic exploration of space. His research interest is in education that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Dr. Lani Connolly

Lani Connolly is an Assistant Director for the Science and Engineering Education Center at UTD. She received her Ph.D. in Education from the University of the Incarnate Word. She has extensive experience in both industry and non-profit in community outreach and program implementation and joins us after serving as a Director of girl programs at Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. She is passionate about community-based learning and her research interests include the impact of informal education on adolescent development, gender equity in STEM, and intergenerational learning as a means of creating social capital.

Russell Hulse

Russell Hulse is Regental Professor and Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the University of Texas at Dallas. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he carried out thesis research in pulsar radio astronomy that later led to his receiving the Nobel Prize in Physics. Hulse came to UTD after 30 years working on controlled thermonuclear fusion research at Princeton University's Plasma Physics Laboratory. At UTD, Hulse's work includes a focus on science and engineering education outreach. He is the founding Director of UTD's Science and Engineering Education Center (SEEC).

Thy Lam

Thy Lam is a Program Coordinator for the Science and Engineering Education Center at UT Dallas. She received her Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs, magna cum laude and is continuing her studies with the university in pursuing a Master in Business Administration (MBA). She has in-depth project management experience and is responsible for the daily operation and program support for the Center. Thy believes learning is a life-long journey and is excited to advance the vision of the Center in engaging the community in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) knowledge areas.