Jamie N. Mikeska completed her Ph.D. in the Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy graduate program at Michigan State University in 2010. She is currently serving as project director on a research study that examines how informal science institutions can best design resources to support teachers, administrators, and families in helping middle school students learn how to conduct scientific investigations and better understand the nature of science. In her graduate studies, she worked for four years on a research project examining the effects of science-specific professional development on teachers’ knowledge and teaching practices and the learning and engagement of their students. Prior to graduate school, she taught elementary school for five years outside of Washington D.C. and earned her National Board certification during her tenure as a public school teacher. Her research interests center on the connection between professional development, science teachers’ learning and classroom practice, and students’ achievement and engagement. She also conducts research at the intersection of literacy and science education and has been examining strategies elementary students use to understand different types of science texts.