Elizabeth Dunn is the administrator for the NAF Academy of Engineering at HD Woodson STEM High School. Over the last four years, she has created a model engineering academy of 80+ students who work to attain industry certifications, paid internships, attend countless work-based learning experiences, and tour colleges and universities across the East coast. In the summer of 2018, Ms. Dunn oversaw 25 students completing internships in various engineering fields. Three of these students were enrolled in Stevens Institute of Technology on a scholarship they received through their work in the Academy of Engineering at HD Woodson. This year she is working with numerous STEM stakeholders, such as the University of the District of Columbia and the National Wildlife Foundation, to create a pipeline for industry certifications at the high school level. Ultimately, the goal of this work will be to ensure students leaving the Academy of Engineering have tangible, marketable certifications and skills that translate to sustainable careers in STEM related fields.

As a former classroom teacher, Ms. Dunn is invested in advancing science pedagogy for all teachers to ensure students attain the most rigorous STEM education. She served as an adjunct professor for American University where she oversaw two courses of teachers enrolled in a graduate program with Lab2Class. In these courses Ms. Dunn connected teachers with local organizations and industry professionals to establish permanent partnerships that create opportunities for students to attend experiential learning, apply to grants, and deepen the knowledge they are gaining inside the classroom. For several years, Ms. Dunn has coached first and second year teachers in the program Teach for America. Both in the classroom and outside of the classroom, Elizabeth has met with teachers to observe and provide actionable next steps on behavior management, building effective labs, utilizing informational texts, and establishing student-centered systems, among other topics that leverage positive student outcomes.
Ms. Dunn is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois where she received a BS and BA. She earned her Masters in the Art of Teaching, Secondary Science at American University. You can find Elizabeth at nearly all trainings, conferences and events focused on STEM education and advancement. She can also be found running the streets of DC in search of great food.