About Marlena
Marlena Jones is the Acting Director of the Carnegie Academy for Science Education (CASE) of Carnegie Institution of Washington. She oversees the administration, programs and strategic plan of this long-running science education organization. CASE increases science education through hands-on student and teacher programs in the nation's capital. As an inaugural member of LEAD STEM of the STEM Learning Ecosystems, Ms. Jones instituted new programs to enhance the participation of young ladies in science and STEM. As the Director of the DC STEM Network, Ms. Jones coordinated multiple efforts in Washington DC as well as nationally to increase STEM excitement and participation by underrepresented and disadvantaged youth. Ms. Jones was the Director of both of the DC STEM Fairs (Secondary and Elementary) -- increasing participation and recognition of students in both. She developed and instituted the Network's STEM Ambassadors program which promoted K-12 DC public school STEM education by disseminating best STEM practices throughout metropolitan area. Ms. Jones instituted NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) implementation systems in DC through a series of training sessions for science teachers. Additionally, she developed, designed and implemented a new outreach program, CASE STEM Kits to distribute biotechnology experiments, equipment and supplies to Washington DC secondary school science teachers. Prior to joining CASE, Ms. Jones was the Director of the Discovery Center for Cell and Molecular Biology at Catholic University and was instrumental in training over 20,000 undergraduate, graduate, and secondary school students and teachers in current research techniques. She received a Master of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from Catholic University, and obtained two Bachelor of science degrees -- one in biochemistry and a another general biology from the University of Maryland College Park. Ms. Jones is both Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa member.