CSME Team Members
Our team is always ready and willing to assist with questions about the Center for Science and Mathematics Education including upcoming events, guest speakers, learning assistants, and more.
CSME Team
Karie Christopher
Education Director
(801)581-6958
karie.christopher@utah.edu
Ricardo Gonzalez
REFUGES Afterschool
Program Coordinator
ricardo.gonzalez@utah.edu
Kimi Heimsoth
REFUGES Afterschool
Program Coordinator
kimberly.heimsoth@utah.edu
Joseph Kiflom
Research Assistant
Tino Nyawelo
Director of Diversity & Recruitment
(801) 581-5306
nyawelo@math.utah.edu
Jody Oostema
USEF Program Manager
(801) 585-9109
jody.oostema@utah.edu
Kendall Van Horssen
Program Manager, CSME
(801) 581-7203
kendall.vanhorssen@utah.edu
Student Staff
Jaden Achen
Office Assistant
Divyam Goel
USEF Special Awards Assistant
Jonathan West
Office Assistant
Contact Karie with Questions About:
About Karie:
Karie received a Bachelor of Arts in General Mathematics, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Western Michigan University. She received a Master of Mathematics from Utah State University where she helped research and build a new curriculum regarding mathematical modeling for pre-service teachers. Karie has always been passionate about math and science education and has taught a variety of math education courses at the Secondary and Postsecondary level. Providing opportunities and support for students to succeed in science and mathematics is one of her passions. She currently serves as the director of the Learning Assistant Program and teaches the Science of Learning course for new learning assistants.
Program Manager, University of Utah Science & Engineering Fair
(801) 585-9109
jody.oostema@utah.edu
Contact Jody with Questions About:
University of Utah Science & Engineering Fair (USEF)
About Jody:
Jody is an Academic Program Manager who has been at CSME since 2010. Her effort is dedicated to managing the University of Utah Science & Engineering Fair (USEF). Since taking over USEF in 2005, Jody has more than tripled the number of student finalists, created a Student Advisory Board, and mentored over a hundred high school students. The fair achieved official University of Utah status in 2017. USEF is unique among regional science fairs in the number of outreach programs it offers and is proud to have several top winners at the International Science and Engineering Fair.
Jody’s area of expertise is organization and program management. Before bringing USEF to CSME, Jody managed the science and engineering fair at The Leonardo, where she traveled with Leonardo on Wheels. She has also worked with at-risk youth at an online mentoring company and was previously employed by a local private school.
Director of Diversity & Recruitment, CSME
Assistant Professor (Lecturer), Department of Physics & Astronomy
(801) 581-5306
nyawelo@math.utah.edu
Contact Jody with Questions About:
Physics & Astronomy REU and SURP Programs
About Tino:
Tino Nyawelo, an Assistant Professor (Lecturer) in the University of Utah’s Department of Physics & Astronomy, has been at the U since 2007. In 2012, Tino founded the REFUGES program which supports underrepresented students through an after-school program (grades 7-12) and a summer science “bridge” experience for incoming college freshmen. Tino also coordinates the Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
In 1998, Tino obtained his master’s degree in theoretical high energy physics at the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy. He received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the Free University of Amsterdam in 2004. His main area of research deals with (quantum) field theory, supersymmetry and gravity.