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Research Interests

Much of my work is focused on developing and conducting evaluations and research projects in the fields of environmental education, ocean education, natural resources interpretation, and informal STEM education. I also work in the field of participatory science (citizen science) where I am interested in the impact(s) of participation for diverse audiences and what motivates or prevents individual's from participating. With these endeavors, my ultimate goal is to bridge research, theory, and practice to support the development and delivery of effective programs, experiences, and collaborations designed to ultimately address complex environmental issues. 

 

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I have coordinated and worked on research projects with external grantors including the National Forest Service, North American Association for Environmental Education, NorthBay Education Foundation, Association of Nature Center Administrators, Ocean Finance Company, National Park Service, Institute for Museum and Library Services, National Science Foundation, National Park Foundation, NatureWatch, The Orton Foundation, I AM WATER: Ocean Conservation, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. 

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Below is a list of some current and past research and evaluation projects. For more information, please download my CV. Also click on the "Frensley Lab" tab above to learn more about undergraduate and graduate student projects from my lab. 

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Some Research Projects

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  • 2024-2025, (PI), "Developing a comparative evaluation for the Oceans For All Alliance (OFAA)." (funding from the Oceans Finance Company and I AM WATER: Ocean Conservation).

    • I am working with Ms. Hannah Bell (Co-PI, UNCW EVS) and an EVS graduate student to develop and deliver a comparative evaluation for diverse ocean education practitioners in the Oceans for All Alliance which spans South Africa, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, and Argentina. We are using a participatory and culturally responsive approach to co-create evaluation approaches and build evaluation capacity for the organizations, agencies, and business engaged in this alliance. By using a comparative evaluation approach, we seek to accelerate the sharing of ideas, learning from these evaluation data, and collectively improving our work. To do this, we are also leading collaborative learning online meetings to maintain engagement with all Alliance members as they deliver their youth ocean education programs, collect evaluation data, learn, and improve together. To learn more about this project, please click here.

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  • 2022-2025, (Senior Research Personnel, Co-Investigator), "Developing a citizen science network for the SeaHawk/HawkEye nanosatellite project." (funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation)

    • I am working with Dr. Phil Bresnahan (lead PI, UNCW EOS) and Dr. Bob Brewin (Co-Investigator, University of Exeter Penryn) on a project to develop a diverse network of participants to collect in-situ field data related to ocean color and conditions to accompany satellite imagery from the SeaHawk/HawkEye cube satellite, and other satellites as well. We will be building this network targeting diverse users already regularly in the coastal environment across the United States such s: environmental educators, recreation users, ecotourism employees, and professionals (E.g., agency personnel, etc.) and will support their use of equipment such as 3-D printed mini-secchi disks, sensors, and more to collect relevant data. We are working with many different collaborators and stakeholders and also plan to evaluate the benefits of participation for these diverse uses and how best to support their continued participation. To learn more about this project, please click here and to learn more about the broader mission of SeaHawk/HawkEye, and the larger project this one is a part of, please click here.

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  • 2021-2023, (PI), "A partnership project to evaluate the I AM WATER Ocean Guardians youth environmental and marine education program." funding from the I AM WATER Ocean Conservation organization

    • This is a partnership project with the South African-based I AM WATER Ocean Conservation organization to evaluate their flagship youth Ocean Guardians program. This two-day field-based program reaches thousands of underserved middle school students in Cape Town, South Africa where they spend two days in a marine protected area snorkeling, participating in service projects (e.g., beach cleanups), learning about the ecosystems, and learning about the connection between this place and themselves. I will be working with an EVS graduate student to measure diverse student outcomes and determine the impacts of participation in this project for these students, and help the organization use the evaluation to enhance their work.​

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  • 2021-2022, (PI), "Investigating longer-term outcomes of citizen science participation."

    • I am working with Dr. Rotenberg (Co-PI, UNCW EVS) and an EVS graduate student to investigate the longer term outcomes of participation in a citizen science project called the Painted Bunting Observation Team (PBOT). 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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  • 2021-2022, (Co-PI), "Open Outdoors for Kids Hybrid Learning Program Network." funding from The National Park Foundation & National Science Foundation

    • ​I am working with colleagues at Virginia Tech (Dr. Marc Stern (PI), Kelley Anderson, Postdoctoral Researcher) and Clemson University (Dr. Bob Powell, Co-PI) to create an evidence-based learning network for the Open Outdoors for Kids Hybrid Learning Programs developed and delivered by the National Park Service. We are using a participatory approach to develop cross-cutting outcomes relevant across diverse environmental, historical, and cultural units of the National Park Service. As a network, participants will work together to discuss challenges in developing and delivering hybrid learning programs, potential solutions, learn from the data provided (and each other), and make targeted improvements designed to ultimately enhance outcomes for participants.

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  • 2020-2021, (PI), "Fire in the Pines Festival program evaluation." funding from The Orton Foundation

    • This is the second year of a partnership project with The Nature Conservancy of North Carolina and three EVS graduate students are seeking to evaluate the popular Fire in the Pines festival. This festival is designed to educate the public about the importance of controlled burning in the longleaf pine ecosystem. We have pivoted our evaluation this year due to COVID-19 as the festival has moved from an in-person event attended by thousands to a fully online, virtual event.​

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  • 2020-2021, (Co-PI), "Creation of an evidence-based learning network for online EE programs to enhance programmatic success." funding from the National Science Foundation & Pisces Foundation

    • I am working with colleagues at Virginia Tech (Dr. Eileen Merritt and Dr. Marc Stern, PI) and Clemson University (Dr. Bob Powell) to develop an evidence based learning network to support the environmental education field as we pivot to online program delivery due to COVID-19. We are using the environmental education for the 21st century (EE21) outcomes measure to track outcomes of program participants in grades 5th - 12th to use for learning and adaptive management. As a network, participants will work together to discuss challenges in online EE programming, potential solutions, and learn from the data provided (and each other), and make targeted improvements designed to ultimately enhance outcomes for participants.

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  • 2019-2026, (Co-PI), "What leads to better outcomes in informal STEM-based environmental education programs for youth?" funding from the National Science Foundation

 

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Trail in Woods
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