People

Project Team

Karen Bierman, Ph.D. is an Evan Pugh University Professor of Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies and directs the Child Study Center at The Pennsylvania State University. She is the Bear Buildz team principal investigator, kb2@psu.edu

Jennifer Connell, M.S.W. is a senior project specialist in the Child Study Center and clinician in the Psychology Clinic at The Pennsylvania State University. She is the Community Liaison and Project Coordinator of Bear Buildz, jlm80@psu.edu

Lynn Liben, Ph.D. is an Evan Pugh University Professor of Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, and Education at Penn State. She is a Bear Buildz team co-principal investigator, liben@psu.edu 

Scarlett Miller, Ph.D. is Professor of Engineering Design and Industrial Engineering at Penn State, and Director of the Center for Research in Design and Innovation. She is a Bear Buildz team co-principal investigator, scarlettmiller@psu.edu

Jessica Menold, Ph.D. is the Hartz Family Career Development assistant professor of engineering design at Penn State. She is a Bear Buildz team co-principal investigator, jdm5407@psu.edu

Meg Small, Ph.D. is the Director for Social Innovation at Penn State’s Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center (PRC) and Director of the PSU Health and Human Development Design for Impact Lab (HUDDIL). She is a Bear Buildz team co-principal investigator, Megsmall@psu.edu

External Advisory Board

Sue Allen, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Scientist at the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance.

Maureen Callahan, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Santa Cruz. 

Michelle Crowl, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Discovery Space, a nonprofit interactive children’s science museum. 

Laura Jana, M.D. is a developmental pediatrician, health educator, and author. She is an adjunct faculty at Penn State’s Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center (PRC).

 Deborah Weber, Ph.D. is the Director of Early Childhood Development Research at Fisher-Price.

Program Illustrator and Animator

Nate Kling, Pixel Artist, Animator, and Indie Game Developer

Support Team

Devin Hennigan, Discovery Space Program Facilitator

Michele Kelly, Data Manager

Shari Keyser-Groff, Research Support

Lisa Knudsen, Community Coordinator

Brad Sizemore, Research Support

Tracy Spalvins, Research Coordinator

Sandra Stewart, Community Coordinator