Principal Investigator (PI)
Dr. Christopher Bender, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Dr. Chris Bender is a graduate of Cornell University, where he received a Master of Science and Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry, and the University of Central Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. Dr. Bender teaches general chemistry lectures and labs as well as inorganic chemistry. His professional interests include inorganic chemistry, materials science and chemical education with research focused on creating nanoparticles of various morphologies.
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Dr. Kimberly Shorter, Assistant Professor of Biology
Dr. Kim Shorter graduated from Converse College with Bachelor of Science degrees in biology and chemistry. Dr. Shorter attended the University of South Carolina where she earned a Ph.D. in biological sciences and did postdoctoral research at the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Shorter teaches several courses at USC Upstate, including Introductory Biology I, Introductory Biology I Lab, Cell and Molecular Biology Lab, Histology, and Neurobiology. Her research interests center around the effects of dietary components on the epigenetic status of human neuronal cell lines.
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Dr. Sinead Brien, Assistant Professor of Middle/Secondary Science Education
Dr. Sinead Brien holds a B.A. in Biology and in Spanish, a M.S. in Community Development from the University of California-Davis, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education with a focus on science education from Michigan State University. Before entering higher education, Dr. Brien taught middle- and secondary-level biology at the Instituto Agrario do Chokwe (Chokwe, Mozambique) and biology, earth science, conceptual physics, and integrated science at Mendota High School (Mendota, California, US). She also helped develop the environmental education program at Gorongosa National Park (Gorongosa, Mozambique). Dr. Brien’s research interests focus on supporting novice and experienced educators in developing and refining justice-oriented science teaching practices in both in- and out-of-school spaces. Her work has been published in a leading science education journal (Science Education) and a book chapter.
Spartanburg Community College Partners
Ms. Amy Moore, Academic Director for Department of Mathematics at Spartanburg Community College
For the last 10 years, Amy Moore has been an academic director and mathematics instructor at Spartanburg Community College, where she is dedicated to making numbers make sense. Passionate about data, problem-solving, and real-world applications, they aim to help students see the value of mathematics beyond the classroom. Outside of teaching, Amy enjoys reading, working out, hiking, and spending time with her family.