EXPERIENCE

Education Consultant, Freelance, VA. Nov. 2019–present

• Lead and develop hands-on STEM workshops for pre-k through adulthood serving up to 200 people per workshop.
• Consult on educational vision including exhibits, marketing materials, and curricula.
• Write, film, and edit web-based videos for at-home education programs.
  

Manager/Director of Education, Science Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoke, VA. Sept. 2015–Nov. 2019.

• Supervise, recruit, and train staff and volunteers totaling to 13 educators and over 40 volunteers.
• Identify and incorporate emerging educational trends into museum programming.
• Collaborate with museum teams and external organizations on grants, exhibits, marketing, and events
• Manage the departmental budget of $170,000 including purchasing, salaries, supplies, and professional development opportunities.
• Write and manage supplemental grants totaling to $30,000 annually plus supplies.
• Organize and lead large 500+ visitor events including STEAM Day and Roanoke Mini MakerFaire.
• Research, write and record “A Moment of STEM” a weekly STEM communication YouTube series.
  

Animal Care Educator, Science Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoke, VA. Jan. 2013–Sept. 2015.

• Assist in the care and maintenance of the animals within the living collections department.
• Develop and manage the database required for the USDA permitted butterfly garden.
• Create and submit an annual USDA report.
• Design and implement living collections-based educational programming and policies.
  

Interim Director Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Radford University, Radford, VA. Jan. 2012–Jul. 2012.

• Supervise staff of student employees.
• Write and manage departmental budgets.
• Provide leadership training and vision for events, activities, and services focused on multicultural awareness, understanding, and respect for diverse cultures and lifestyles.
  

Part-Time Educator, Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk, CT. Mar. 2010–June 2010.

• Lead aquarium programming.
• Conduct field programs.
  

Environmental Educator, Nature’s Classroom, Colebrook, CT. Sept. 2009–Dec. 2009.

• Lead hikes and provide STEM and team building programs to elementary school-aged learners.
  

SKILLS

Experience implementing and adapting various pedagogical models including PBL, inquiry-based and active learning using data-driven assessments

Public speaking and media appearances including web, TV, and print

Identify and foster partnerships with internal and external stakeholders

Team leadership including hiring, firing, continued professional development, and communication and workflow software such as Slack, Trello and the Google suite

Grant writing and management

Identifying and participating in conference and professional development opportunities

Comfort with web-based teaching platforms such as zoom, flipgrid, padlet, nearpod, and seesaw

Familiarity with 21st-century literacy skills including visual coding platforms, 3D printers, and TinkerCAD

Integration of inclusive environments and differentiation into exhibit and classroom-based instruction

EDUCATION

Radford University, 2011

MS- Curriculum and Instruction

University of Rochester, 2009

BA- Biology

AWARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS

National Geographic Educator Certification National Geographic

2019

iPAGE Cohort 3 Science Museum of Minnesota

Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Leadership Training 2018-2019

Sustainability in Science Museums Fellow Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiative (ASU) 2017

STEM-H Educator of the Year Roanoke Blacksburg Technology Council 2017

Adult and Pediatric CPR and First Aid Red Cross

May 2018-May 2020

Graduate Professional Licensure with Endorsement in Life Science and Biology Commonwealth of VA

2011

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS, CONFERENCES, and POSTERS

Henderson, A., Barlow, G., Forbes, J., Vaughn, K., & Weiss, H., (2019, October) Reimagining Play: Hands-On Learning Spaces. Talk presented at Southeastern Museums Conference, Charleston. SC

Charlwood, A., Thayer, J., & Weiss, H.(2019). Dinosaur Zoo. Journal of Virginia Science Education, 12(1), 15-18

Weiss, H., Thayer, J. & Nash, L., (2019, March), KidWind Challenge. Talk presented at 21st Century Community Learning Centers Spring Institute.

Weiss, H. & Thayer, J., (2019. February), Adapting PBL to Informal Settings. Talk presented at Virginia Children's Engineering Convention, Roanoke, VA

Weiss, H. (2019, January 22). A Wizarding Pedigree [Web blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.cosplayforscience.com/blogall/2019/1/15/the-wizarding-pedigree

Weiss, H., (2018, November), The Harry Potter Inheritance. Lecture Presented at STEM Tavern, Roanoke, VA

Baker, A., Price-Hardister, A., Rouse, L. & Weiss, H., (2018, November), Museums: Your Partner in Creating Project-based Learning and Assessments. Talk presented at Virginia Conference for Social Studies Educators, Roanoke, VA

Furman, L. & Weiss, H., (2018, February), Powerful Partnerships: A Guide to Interdisciplinary STEAM Programming. Talk presented at Virginia Children's Engineering Convention, Roanoke, VA

Newbil, P., Hopkins, R., Weiss, H., (2018, September), Rethinking Resources: Shifting Museums From Industry to Community with Museum-University Partnerships Poster presented at ASTC annual meeting, Hartford, CT.

Weiss, H. & Thayer, J., (2017, November), Taking the Mystery Out of PBL. Talk presented at the Virginia Association of Science Teachers Annual Professional Development Institute, Roanoke, VA.

Weiss, H., & Kellogg, D., (2016, October), Adapting Project Based Learning to Out of Classroom Experiences. Talk presented at Southwest Virginia STEM Summit, Blacksburg, VA

Weiss, H., (2015, November), Utilizing Women STEM Professionals to Inspire Girls. Talk presented at the Virginia Association of Science Teachers Annual Professional Development Institute, Fairfax, VA