Three Missouri S&T faculty will serve as University of Missouri System Presidential Engagement Fellows during the 2021-22 academic year. The faculty members will serve as ambassadors in the region and speak to local organizations and communities about their areas of research and expertise. There is no cost for an organization or individual to host a speaker.

Dr. Devin Burns is an associate professor of psychological science at S&T. Burns is an expert in cognitive psychology, perception of the world and how to train oneself to think and live better. He is available to discuss various topics related to how to recognize cognitive bias, how virtual interactions impact us psychologically – especially during remote job interviews – and how sensory information changes depending on available cues.

Dr. Beth Kania-Gosche is chair and a professor of teacher education and certification at S&T. Kania-Gosche is an expert in educational studies, curriculum and instruction, and student-teaching evaluation. She is available to discuss various topics related to rural Missouri education policies, how to better prepare future teachers, and how to measure performance and create better evaluations.

Dr. Daniel Oerther is a professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering at S&T. Oerther is an expert in community healthcare systems and engineering, access to safe drinking water, and effective hygiene in developing communities around the world. He is available to discuss various topics related to environmental health engineering, nutrition security in Missouri, and water, sanitation and hygiene needs related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

To request a Missouri S&T Presidential Engagement Fellow speaker at an event, visit umurl.us/pef-speaking-request.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,100 students and is part of the four-campus University of Missouri System. Located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 different degree programs in 40 areas of study and is ranked by CollegeFactual as the best public university to study engineering. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.