Educator Workshop: Paleontology in the Classroom

Mariah Romaninsky is the Senior Manager of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Programs at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. She works with teachers at the School District of Philadelphia and local educational organizations to ensure that all students have access to the museum and to STEM programs during the school year. Mariah started her professional career as a 6th, 7th and 8th grade Math and Science teacher in Charlotte, NC. She enjoyed it but was interested in pursuing a different career path, one in the field of informal education. Mariah’s next job was as the Education Manager at the Delaware Museum of Natural History. She worked there for seven years, doing everything from teaching classes to writing curriculum to handling snakes and other critters for the public. It was a job that helped prepare her for her current position and one that helped to shape her career. The next move was to Philadelphia, where she has been working at the Academy of Natural Sciences for the past year, blending the aspects of her two prior jobs, into one cohesive position. Mariah attended the State University of New York at Oneonta and earned her BA in Anthropology with minors in both American Indian Studies and Earth Science. She has her teaching certificate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Founded in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is a leading natural history museum dedicated to advancing research, education, and public engagement in biodiversity and environmental science. The Academy is the place for young and old to experience natural science in a fun and engaging way. Visitors can stroll through a tropical butterfly garden, touch live animals, meet real scientists, get face-to-face with a towering T. rex, and more.