Shelly Grandell is a lifelong learner and seeks out opportunities to gain new knowledge and experiences for herself as well as for her students explore the world--exploring outside of the classroom! She was born in Alaska and raised in the beautiful San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado, where her family has lived for generations. There, in her hometown of Alamosa, Colorado, she received her BS in geology and MA in secondary science and is currently the Assistant Director of Education and Outreach for the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. The previous 14 years, she taught middle school science in the Denver area and continues to advocate for and facilitate K-12 and public science outreach throughout Colorado and now Wisconsin. She has fostered many opportunities to collaborate with students and teachers from around the world!  She believes that as global citizens, we share the world’s resources and that our experiences, while lived through multiple lenses and perspectives, are still part of the human experience. So many amazing things are waiting to be discovered!