B. Troy Frensley, PhD

Current Projects

2024-2025: Developing a cross-cutting evaluation for adaptive management at one marine environmental education organization.

(graduate student Elizabeth Stratton)

• Elizabeth is working with Dr. Frensley and Ms. Hannah Bell to develop a cross-cutting survey instrument to measure a 'snap shot' of desired outcomes for all 5th grade and up school and summer programs at a marine environmental education organization. This short survey (five minutes to completion) will be used to compare outcomes across short programs delivered at area schools, half-day to full-day field trip programs, and weeklong summer camp programs. This novel approach will allow for comparisons within, and across, these diverse youth programs and also provide the organization with empirical data across a large number of their programs.

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2023-2024: Evaluating the Ability Gardens program for at-risk youth.

(undegraduate Honors student Gannon Kooles)

• Gannon is developing a mixed methods evaluation to understand the student outcomes of a garden-based education program for at-risk and underserved youth at two alternative public schools. The goal of this project is to better understand the diverse impacts of this program from both the student and schoolteacher perspectives.

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2022-2024: Developing the SeaHawk/HawkEye citizen science project to collect in-situ ocean surface data.

(graduate student Delaney McBride)

• Delaney is working on developing a nationwide network of diverse participants to help collect in-situ data in the nearshore using mini-secchi disks (developed by project researcher Dr. Bob Brewin) and other sensors to be developed in the future by the project PI (Dr. Phil Bresnahan). The goal of this project is to collect data in coastal areas where the SeaHawk/Hawkeye cubesattelite, and other satellites, are collecting imagery to better understand changing ocean conditions. Delaney is coordinating this multi-year citizen science effort by identifying and supporting participants, developing supporting resources, and evaluating the impacts, and barriers, to participation.

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2023: Evaluation of a MarineQuest online marine science-focused high school research program delivering during COVID-19.

(graduate student Sara Goldsberry)

• Sara is taking existing data that used pre/post surveys to evaluate the impacts of a novel online marine science research-focused program for area high school students that was developed and delivered during the global pandemic and writing a manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. She is working with co-authors from UNCW's MarineQuest program to develop a shared manuscript highlighting the program and the evaluation.

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2023-2024: Evaluation of the Fire in the Pines Festival and the Fire in the Pines Field Trip program for youth.

(graduate student Belle Stallard)

• Belle is working with evaluation instruments created by former graduate students to evaluate the Fire in the Pines festival and also the youth field day program, focused on fire education, delivered at area schools.

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Past Projects

2022-2023: Evaluating the Fire in the Pines Festival and the Fire in the Pines Field Trip program for youth.

(graduate student Amanda Holmes)

• In this partnership project with The Nature Conservancy of North Carolina staff, Amanda is evaluating the impact of the Fire in the Pines Festival on adult participants and is adding an evaluation of the youth field trip program that accompanies this week long festival. Amanda will be revising the existing Fire in the Pines evaluation instrument and revising the evisting pre/post survey to evaluate the elementary school field trip program. This participatory work engages TNC staff and other stakeholders to ensure relevant outcomes are being measured to determine diverse impacts of these activities.

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2022-2023: Investigating the impacts of interpretive signage on university students' recycling behaviors.

(undergraduate student Malachi Monteiro)

• Malachi's honors thesis uses an experiemental design to determine the impacts of interpretive signage on student recycling behaviors at the Fisher Food Court on UNCW's campus. He is collecting observational data on waste disposal behaviors and then testing the influence of interpretive signage he will design using the theory of planned behavior and interpretive design principles.

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2022-2023: Evaluating the influence of introductory environmental science courses on undergraduate students' environmental literacy.

(undergraduate student Bella Peadon)

• Bella's honors thesis is evaluating the impact of three introductory environmental science courses (two lecture and one lab) on participating students' environmental literacy levels upon completion of each course. She is using an online survey approach administered to students the final week of classes to measure outcomes related to knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behavioral intentions as a part of her environmental literacy construct. She is comparing outcomes for each class and then differences between courses, students' program of study, and demographic characteristics.

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​2022-2023: Evaluating the MarineQuest OCEANS 17 high school summer intensive program. 

(graduate student Kaylee Buggy)

• In this partnership project with MarineQuest staff, Kaylee is evaluating the outcomes for the intensive, residential summer program called OCEANS 17. This three-week program immerses high school students into an intensive STEM and marine science focused experience where they develop and executive original research projects, work with UNCW faculty, and obtain dive certifications and conduct research dives. We are using a mixed-methods approach and Kaylee will be developing a survey instrument to measure diverse student outcomes from participation and also interviewing students to better understand the impacts of the program on them personally. 

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2021-2023: Partnership project to evaluate the I AM WATER Ocean Guardians workshop youth program

(graduate student Hannah Bell)

• In this partnership project, Hannah is evaluating the outcomes for underserved youth attending the Ocean Guardians Workshop marine and environmental education program. This program takes place in Cape Town, South Africa, and is delivered by the I AM WATER Ocean Conservation organization. Hannah is working with the organization to develop a survey instrument and evaluate their program over the Spring 2022 and Fall 2022 seasons and help the organization identify opportunities to enhance their program.

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2021-2023: Investigating long-term outcomes in a citizen science project

(graduate student Ayla Busch)

• In this project, Ayla is investigating the longer term outcomes of participation in a citizen science project called the Painted Bunting Observation Team (PBOT), created by Co-PI and EVS professor Dr. Rotenberg. Thousands of participants across the coastal southeastern United States participated in this project, which ended in 2017, and we are conducting a mixed-methods retrospective study to understand to what extent participation in the project impacts individual's knowledge, attitudes, skills, identity, and behaviors ​in the years after they finished. 

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2022: Developing environmental education and interpretive outdoor experiences for students at the Friends School of Wilmington.

(undergraduate students Chris Janovetz and Ryan Golden)

• In this directed independent study, Chris and Ryan are working with staff at the Friends School of Wilmington to develop outdoor environmental education and interpretive materials and resources for students and teachers in grades K-8 to use at the Friends School of Wilmington. 

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2022: Evaluating a novel MarineQuest distance learning high school program during COVID-19. 

(undergraduate student Ariel Coakley)

• In this directed independent study, Ariel is working with MarineQuest staff to analyze and interpret findings from an evaluation of a pilot distanced learning high school program delivered during COVID-19. Ariel will be investigating the outcomes of this novel program designed to foster student-led investigations and promote authentic STEM engagement while participating virtually due to the pandemic.

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2021: Directed Independent Study: North Carolina Museum of Natural History at Whiteville signage project

(undergraduate student Jenna Mondoro)

• In this Directed Independent Study, Jenna is working with the education leadership team at the North Carolina Museum of Natural History at Whiteville to aid in their development of comprehensive and interactive signage updates for their outdoor spaces.  

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2021: Directed Independent Study: Education Without Walls program evaluation

(graduate student Sarah Turner)

• This Directed Independent Study by Sarah is to conduct interviews and gather programmatic details for a future program evaluation of the year-long Education Without Walls (EWOW) outdoor adventure education program for at-risk middle and high school students. The PI's on this project are Dr. Hunter Holland (UNCW, CHHS) and Dr. Troy Frensley. 

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2020-21: Fire in the Pines evaluation

(graduate students Katie Einig, Rebecca Patterson, and Aerin Toskas)

• This is year-two of a partnership project with The Nature Conservancy of North Carolina to evaluate the fire education festival called The Fire in the Pines festival to determine participant outcomes related to controlled burning and protection of the longleaf pine ecosystem. Event fully virtual due to COVID-19.

 

2020- Honors Project: UNCW students' environmental literacy and perceptions about a potential environmental-literacy related course

(undergraduate student Emily Greene)

• Emily's UNCW honors project investigated UNCW student's levels of environmental literacy across four different programs of study. She leveraged prior research and theory to create a survey to measure university-level student's environmental literacy and their interest in taking a new course related to enhancing environmental literacy. I served as a member of Emily's honors committee.

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2019-20: Fire in the Pines Pilot Evaluation

(graduate student Mallory Foster)

• This was a pilot partnership project with The Nature Conservancy of North Carolina to evaluate the fire education festival called The Fire in the Pines festival to determine participant outcomes related to controlled burning and protection of the longleaf pine ecosystem. Mallory used prior literature, theory, and a participatory approach to develop a new survey, revise the evaluation methodology, and write the final report.

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2019: UNCW MarineQuest Pilot Field Trip Evaluation

(graduate students Sam Hermann and Carrie Alward)

• This was a pilot evaluation project with the UNCW MarineQuest environmental education program to measure outcomes for middle and high school half-day and full-day field trip programs. Sam and Carrie conducted observations of the program, participatory-meetings with UNCW MarineQuest program leadership, analyzed data, and create a final report.

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2019: Inclusivity in nonformal environmental education for the d/Deaf community: A pilot study

(graduate students Mallory Foster, Carrie Alward, and Nikki Pelkey)

• This research project originated as a part of a graduate-level class and then these students expanded it into a nationwide pilot research project to investigate the levels of inclusivity perceived by members of the d/Deaf community when attending nonformal environmental education centers (e.g., nature centers, museums, etc.). These students presented a research poster on this work at the Environmental Educators of North Carolina conference in 2019.

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2019: Directed Independent Study: The Development of Volunteer Survey for UNCW MarineQuest

(undergraduate student Jacob Carvalho-robinson)

• In this one-credit directed independent study (DIS), Jacob created a new survey to measure volunteers' motivations and barriers to participation and outcomes related to knowledge, attitudes, and skills from their experiences volunteering for the program. He leveraged prior research, theory, and participatory discussions with UNCW MarineQuest leadership in the development of this survey.

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2019: UNCW Surfrider Foundation Club Evaluation

(undergraduate student Alex Marstall)

• Alex conducted an evaluation of the UNCW Surfrider Foundation club by developing and administering a survey to measure motivations, barriers, and outcomes of participation for club members and student participants. She presented the final report for this evaluation to The Surfrider Foundation leadership at a summit meeting in California.

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2019: Directed Independent Study: Environmental Nonprofit Management & Leadership

(graduate student Carrie Alward)

• In this one-credit directed independent study, Carrie explored the strengths and weaknesses of the environmental nonprofit field broadly and wrote an in-depth reflection on the field and opportunities for enhanced leadership and impact through an environmental nonprofit organization she aims to create.

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2019: Directed Independent Study: Ev-Henwood Interpretive Signage

(undergraduate student John Verry)

• In this one-credit directed independent study, John created a design for a new trailhead kiosk at the Ev-Henwood Nature Preserve and two new interpretive signs for the kiosk: 1) a new trail map and overview of the preserve and; 2) signage to highlight key features of one of the preserve's popular trails.

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