Our CSM Science Outreach team is made up of College of Saint Mary students and a faculty coordinator.
Kaitlin Smith is a Marie Curie Scholar and a Junior at the College of Saint Mary studying Biology and Psychology with a Chemistry Minor. Kaitlin is also a midfielder on the CSM Soccer Team and is involved in a variety of campus organizations, including the Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT), Student Senate, and leads CSM's Science Outreach Program. Kaitlin intends to continue her education after graduating by attending Medical School. Kaitlin volunteers in the UNMC and Bergan-Mercy Emergency Departments among other volunteer opportunities with DUO (Do Unto Others) and CSM's Walk Tall Honors Program. Kaitlin loves animals, especially her border collie 'Z' and her cat. She enjoys the outdoors, with a special love for the Rocky Mountains. She has a life-long love of science and technology, starting in robotics and biology at an early age and extending into other fields over the years.
Rachel Cushing is a third-year student at the College of Saint Mary. She is majoring in Biology with minors in Psychology and Chemistry. She is the libero on the volleyball team, a Marie Curie Scholar, the president of the Student Athlete Lead Team, as well as part of the DUO organization and Walk Tall Honors Program. Rachel plans to pursue an MD or PA program following her graduation in the Spring of 2024. She is super excited to provide unique opportunities to elementary-aged students and help them gain knowledge they can use for a lifetime.
jgrove [at] csm.edu (Dr. Jennifer Grove) is an Associate Professor in the Biology Program at College of Saint Mary. She teaches Genetics, Immunology, Hematology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Medical Pathology in undergraduate and graduate programs. As someone who knew she wanted to be a biologist from an early age, Dr. Grove has always understood the importance of exposing young future investigators to the world of science through fun, interactive, and educational experiences.
This program has been funded by the NASA Nebraska Space Grant since its inception in the Fall of 2011. Beginning Fall 2014, a private donors are now sponsoring the program.