Seth K. Thompson
Director of Outreach
Seth brings over a decade of experience in implementing public engagement and outreach programs to our team. He is interested in understanding how community engaged programming can be used to more effectively recruit, retain, and support a diverse scientific talent pool. He earned his PhD in 2019 with a focus on freshwater systems and phosphorus cycling. Seth loves to use water issues to connect science and society.
Catherine Garten
Catherine Garten is a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Environmental Science, Policy and Management and a focus in Environmental Policy. She has been with Market Science for over a year, and is the current program assistant. She has a special interest in environmental injustice and has spent time researching contaminants of emerging concern in Minnesota.
Regina Kurandina
Education Program Associate
Regina is an Education Program Associate in the Department of Biology Teaching and Learning. Regina graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Biology. She has always wanted to be involved in science and education and her role in Market Science is the perfect balance of the two. Regina completed her graduate program in Science education at the University of Minnesota in 2019.
Abby E. Guthman
PhD Student; Ecology, Evolution & Behavior
Abby is a PhD student in the lab of Dr. Craig Packer, and a board member for Market Science. She studies the ecological interactions of large vertebrate species in East Africa, with a specific focus on how people and their cattle fit into the Kenyan ecosystem. Much of her research relies on the work of citizen scientists, and she has extensive experience working with members of the public. She has a special interest in the community aspects of science and loves discussing scientific ideas with enthusiastic community members.
Adam Engelhardt
Education Specialist
Adam attended the U of M for undergrad and graduate school and is currently an Education Specialist in the CBS Department of Biology Teaching & Learning with teaching responsibilities in the Animal Diversity, Marine Animal Diversity, General Zoology, and Foundations of Biology II laboratories, as well as the General Zoology lecture. His background is in life science education, and his research/teaching interests are organismal biology, scientific teaching, and course-based undergraduate research opportunities for students. He is also a MN-licensed biology teacher for grades 9-12.
Lucy Schroeder
Graduate Student; Plant & Microbial Biology
Lucy is a graduate student in Plant and Microbial Biology at the University of Minnesota. Her work focuses on plant diversity across climatic gradients; currently she is measuring adaptations to climate in bur oak. A fun fact about her is that she loves winter for all of the fun snow activities (but misses the green trees we have in summer!)
Amy Waananen
PhD Candidate; Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior
Amy is a PhD candidate in the department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. She is interested in how pollinators connect distant plant populations and how this might help small prairies adapt to and persist in changing environments. In her free time, she likes to ski and go on hikes with her dog, Gooseberry.
Hailey Sauer
Graduate Student; Plant & Microbial Biology
Hailey is a PhD student with the Plant and Microbial Biology department where she studies the role lakes play in climate change. Specifically, she is interested in how microorganisms breakdown organic matter and produce methane. While you can find her on the lake, you won’t catch Hailey swimming in it because she has a fear of swimming in murky waters!