Megan Ennes
Assistant Curator | University of Florida
Gainesville, FL, UNITED STATES
Megan Ennes supports science interests through youth civic engagement, educator professional development and science communication research.
Biography
Megan Ennes is the assistant curator of Museum Education and director of the Thompson Earth Systems Institute in the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida. A former museum educator, her research focuses on how museums can support the science interests and career aspirations of youth. She also conducts research on how to help museum educators and scientists more effectively engage in science communication with the public.
Areas of Expertise (5)
Science Communication
Science Career Aspirations
Museum Education
Climate Change Education
Civic Engagement for the Environment
Articles (4)
“This Is Exactly the Type of Activity the Museum Should Be Doing All the Time”: Exploring an Interactive Museum Exhibit Through Activity Theory
UF Journal of Undergraduate ResearchElizabeth Riotto, et. al
2024-10-16
Recent research suggests that the use of natural history collections in museum education can be beneficial for science engagement and public education. This study expands on this extant research through an exploration of a natural history Live Lab exhibit, in which museum faculty, staff, and volunteers prepared paleontological specimens for collection while engaging the public in science education in an interactive exhibit space.
Scientist-School STEM Partnerships Through Outreach in the USA: A Systematic Review
International Journal of Science and Mathematics EducationBrian Abramowitz, et. al
2024-02-03
This systematic review investigated the literature between 1990—2021 to identify trends regarding science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) scientists conducting K-12 outreach. The review identified 50 publications that reflected the scholarship on scientist-led K-12 outreach.
Family influence and STEM career aspirations
International Encyclopedia of EducationMegan E. Ennes, et. al
2022-11-18
The aim of this chapter is to discuss current research examining family influences on the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) interests and career aspirations of their children. The role of science capital and family science habitus on the development of STEM interests is described. This is followed by a discussion of how parents, early childhood experiences, gender and minoritization affect the STEM interests and career aspirations of children.
Children and parents’ perceptions of access to science tools at home and their role in science self-efficacy
Research in Science EducationMegan E. Ennes, et. al
2022-11-14
Families play a vital role in the development of the science interests and career aspirations of youth. Of particular interest is how a family’s science capital and science habitus impact how children see themselves in relation to science. One aspect of science capital that has emerged as foundational in children’s levels of science self-efficacy and academic self-concept is their access to science related tools outside of school.
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