Dr. Paulette Viola

Dr. Paulette Viola is a Full Professor at SRU. Dr. Viola has been working at SRU since 1990 and has formerly served as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education for eight years. Dr. Viola has an extensive background in environmental science and ecology. She has worked for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and has consulted with major clients, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Nature Conservancy. Dr. Viola also has considerable experience as a science teacher in the Lakeview School District in Stoneboro, Pennsylvania and the Butler School District in Butler, Pennsylvania. Dr. Viola is certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to teach both Biology and Environmental Education. In her spare time, she likes to fish, travel, and ride horses.

Education

Ph.D., Science Education/Natural Resources, 1995, University of Pittsburgh (Major: Ecology. Minor: Environmental Science), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
M.S., Education, 1982, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
B.S., Education, 1974, Edinboro University, Edinboro, Pennsylvania

Research (selected examples)

2008 Inventory and Monitoring of the Goshawk in Pennsylvania. This study will apply the USDA national standards for goshawk inventory and monitoring to Allegheny National Forest. The purpose of this study is to ascertain if the protocol is appropriate for Pennsylvania and begin renewed inventorying of the bird

2001 Inclusion of Environmental Education in Pennsylvania Teacher Preparation Curricula: A Survey of Elementary Pre-Service Teacher Programs (in co-operation with Pennsylvania Department of Education and West Chester University of Pennsylvania).

2000 The First Pennsylvania’s Environmental Readiness for the 21^st Century Survey Report (in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Business Round Table, National Environmental Education Training Foundation, North American Association for Environmental Education, Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education)

1997 Needs Assessment for the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education (in cooperation with Department of Environmental Protection)

1996 Assessment of Pollution Prevention Curriculum in Pennsylvania (in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Appointments and Offices

Current:

Chair, Education Standing Committee for Pennsylvania Biological Survey Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council (House of Representative appointment)

Past

Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership board member, secretary and co-chair of the education task group
Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Environmental Resources, Environmental Education Advisory Council
North American Association for Environmental Education’s NCATE EE standards writing team
North American Association for Environmental Education, Chair of the Higher Education Commission
Co-chair, Education Committee for Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership
Executive director of the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education Chair or the North American Association for Environmental Education Higher Education Commission
Chair, Pennsylvania’s Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council (3.5 years)
Secretary, Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership Board of Directors
Joint Environmental Education Subcommittee for the Pennsylvania Departments of Conservation and Natural Resources and Department of Environmental Protection Advisory Council, Co-chair
Pennsylvania’s 21^st Century Environment Commission, Commissioner
Co-chair with Secretary Hickok/Spano (PA Dept of Ed) for Environmental Stewardship Priority Team of the Commission
National Environmental Education Advisory Council (EPA, six year appointment)
National Environmental Education Advancement Project, Pennsylvania Team Leader (5 year national project)
Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education Executive Committee, State System of Higher Education representative
Governor Ridge’s Environmental Transition Team
Howard Heinz Endowment, Western Pennsylvania Watershed Protection Program, Board Member
Pennsylvania Forest Riparian Buffer Committee, past education subcommittee chair and member
Coordinator of Environmental Education, Slippery Rock University
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, (DEP) Citizen’s Advisory Council (Governor’s Appointment)
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Quality Board (EQB), alternate
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (DER) Citizens Advisory Council, (Governor’s Appointment)
Pennsylvania Department of Education Environmental Education Standards Writing Team
Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education (PAEE), Director of Legislation
Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Representative for PAEE
Keystone Trails Association, Council, Western PA Conservancy Representative
Pennsylvania Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Secretary
North Country Trail Association, National Board of Directors
Sandy Creek Conservancy, Board Member

Professional Organizations

Pennsylvania Consortium for Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy

Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership

Pennsylvania Biological Survey

Awards and Scholarships (selected examples)

2003 SRU Presidents International Professional Development Grant

1999 Educator of the year, Butler County Conservation District

1997 President’s Award for Outstanding Service, Slippery Rock University

1996 Pennsylvania Outstanding Environmental Educator of the Year Award, Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education

Presentations (selected examples)

2004 Invited Panelist at North American Association for Environmental Education Conference at South Padre Island Texas “Perspectives on Biodiversity education: International, National, State, Community and Institutional Levels”.

2004 North American Association for Environmental Education Conference. One of a number of panelists “Opening Symposium-Developing the EE Profession.”

2003 DEP 402 Watershed Academy “Environmental Education and Sustainable Watershed Protection” in University Park

2003 First International Environmental Education Conference, a poster session on “EE inclusion in Teacher Preparation”.

2003 First World Congress on Environmental Education “Inclusion of Environmental Education in Teacher Preparation Programs: A Systemic, Systematic and Sustainable Approach”.

2003 First World Congress on Environmental Education “Integration of Environmental Education into Environmental Protection and Education Agencies”.

2003 North American Association for Environmental Education Conference “Partnering for Statewide Centers for Environmental Education”.

2003 North American Association for Environmental Education Conference “Developing Models for Integrating Environmental Education into Teacher Preparation”.

2003 Pennsylvania Associations of College Teacher Educators Fall Conference “Environmental Education Inclusion in Teacher Preparation: PDE Reviews, NCATE and Model Development”

2003 Pennsylvania Associations of College Teacher Educators Spring Conference “The Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education: What is it and What Services Can it Provide for Teacher Educators?”

2003 Environmental Education Advisory Council of New York and New York University “The Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education and Inclusion of EE in Teacher Education”.

2003 Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals Conference “Workshop Strategies for Showcasing Pennsylvania’s Environmental Leadership Heritage-The people, The Policies and the Places”.

2002 New York University. Featured speaker at a conference on EE in Higher Education

2002 Pennsylvania Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

Publications

1996 Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks: “The Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education”

1996 Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks: “Why Have a Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education?

1991 Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education Journal: Preparation of legislative and regulatory updates specific to environmental education.

1993 Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education Newsletter: Prepare quarterly updates on environmental education legislation and regulation

1992 American Wilderness Leadership School, Wyoming (Safari Club International)

1991 Writing for Publication Workshop (Department of Education, Kings Gap, PA)

International Experiences

1995 Taught Natural and Cultural Systems of Ireland at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland

1993 Taught Applied Ecology in Edinburgh, Scotland

Grants and Funding (selected examples)

2007 ($30,000) Goshawk Research (Wild Resource Conservation Program)

2007 ($10,000) Goshawk Research (State Wildlife Grant–PA Game Commission sponsor)

2007 ($10,000) Goshawk Research (USDA, Forest Service, Allegheny National Forest

2006 ($37,717) Pennsylvania Natural History Information and Education Program

2004 ($250,000) Operating Funds for the PA Center for Environmental Education

2003 ($250,000) Operating Funds for the PA Center for Environmental Education (DEP)

2002 ($345,000) Operating Funds for the PA Center for Environmental Education (DEP)

2001 ($337,000) Operating Funds for the PA Center for Environmental Education (DEP)

2000 ($325,000) Operating Funds for the PA Center for Environmental Education (DEP)

1999 ($10,000) PA specific biodiversity education curriculum (World Wildlife Fund)

1999 ($325,000) Operating Funds for the PA Center for Environmental Education (DEP)

1999 ($5,788) Media and EE (National Environmental Education Advancement Project)

1999 ($5,000) Leveraged from PDE as part of funding for the EE Inclusion in Elementary Education Pre-service Teacher Programs research

1998 ($300,000) Operating Funds for the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education includes PA Environmental Report Card grant (DEP)

1997 ($245,000) Operating Funds for the PA Center for Environmental Education (DEP)

1997 (+/-$75,000) National Environmental Education Advancement Project State Grant (National Environmental Education Advancement Project)

1996 ($10,000) Educational Materials for Classroom Teachers (Wal-Mart)

1996 ($14,000+) Facilitated the granting for: A Supplemental Biodiversity Curriculum for Pennsylvania Middle Schools (given to the Pennsylvania Biological Survey from the Wild Resource Conservation Fund)

1996 ($52,100) Needs Assessment for The PA Center for Environmental Education (DEP)

1996 ($10,650) Follow-up Study on Pennsylvanians Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Wildlife and the Wild Resource Conservation Fund” 1994 Survey (Pa. Wild Resource Conservation Fund)

Majors and Minors