Rebecca Meyer

Extension educator

Rebecca Meyer has more than 20 years of experience designing and delivering experiential programs for youth. Her programs have focused on environmental and science education in schools, non-formal settings, and nature areas. She was a Minnesota regional trainer in science and engineering activities for community-based organizations through the National Partnership for After School Science project (N-PASS). More recently she has been involved in applied research and staff development to understand and practice supporting teams in taking innovative leaps in Extension and youth program design.

Rebecca focuses on design and development of educational programs, curricula and other resources for use with youth and adults, including: a National Science Foundation-funded project called Enabling Authentic Inquiry through Citizen Science, and the national Museums Afterschool: Principles, Data, and Design project, which aims to identify design principles for high quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programming in out-of-school-time settings.

Academic degrees and experience

• M.Ed., environmental education, University of Minnesota Duluth, 2003
• Post-baccalaureate certificate with high distinction, environmental education, University of Minnesota Duluth, 1997
• B.A., environmental studies with minors in geography and philosophy, Gustavus Adolphus College, 1996

Selected publications

• Compton, R.M., Meyer, R.L., Stevenson, A. & Teng, S. (2021). 4-H Engineering Design Challenge Program: Engaging Youth in STEM Learning. The Journal of Extension.
• Meyer, R.L., Meyer, N.J., & Katras, M.J. (2018). Taking the Leap: Exploring a Theory of Program Innovation. The Journal of Extension. Special Issue on Innovation 2018
• Hughes, H.C., Zak, K., Ernst, J., & ​Meyer, R.​ (2017). ​Exploring the Intersection of Beliefs toward Outdoor Play and Cold Weather among Northeast Minnesota's Formal Education and Non-formal EE Communities. International Journal of Early Childhood. 
• Haugen, H., Stevenson, A., & Meyer, R.L. (2016). Statewide 4-H Volunteer Training: Using Inquiry to Expand Learning. The Journal of Extension. 
• Meyer, N.J., Boyce, S., & Meyer, R.L. (2015). A Call to Embrace Program Innovation. The Journal of Extension.
• Meyer, R.L. (2005). The Effects of Green Space on Urban Children’s Sense of Community. Eds. Gilbertson, K., & Murphy, A. Proceedings from the Minnesota Association for Environmental Education Twelfth Annual Conference

Curriculum

• Skuza, J.A., Russo, J.P., Meyer, R. (2019). A Field Guide to Program Planning in Youth Development. University of Minnesota: St. Paul, MN.
• Meyer, R. (2019). Creating a Team Learning Environment. In Strauss, A.L., Thompson, A., Oberhauser, K. & Blair, R. (2019). Driven to Discover: Facilitator's Guide to Conducting Citizen Science and Science Investigations. (pp.101-117). University of Minnesota: St. Paul, MN.  
• Strauss, A.L., Homayoun, T., Meyer, R.L., Nippolt, P.L., Oberhauser, K., Peterson, C., Rager, A., & Young-Isebrand, E. (2015). Driven to Discover: Facilitator's Guide to Citizen Science (Monarchs). University of Minnesota
• Clarke, K., Haugen, H. L., Meyer, R.L., Piehl, B., & Pokorney, N. (2010). Exploring Your Environment: Facilitator’s Guide. 4-H national curriculum
• Meyer, N.J. & Meyer, R.L. (2004). Building Environmental Youth Leadership: A High- school Service-learning Curriculum. Saint Paul: University of Minnesota Extension Service. Item 08104. Updated 2006