Please congratulate Jane Markarian as she completes her impressive (7 year) post as iCons Program manager, and takes on new responsibilities as Manager for Special Projects and Outreach for the College of Natural Sciences (CNS).
Markarian will manage new and continuing outreach efforts in CNS, including the very exciting “Eureka! Program” – a collaboration between CNS and Girls Inc. of Holyoke – as well as new K-12 outreach projects and Women in Science initiatives.
In Markarian’s former role as iCons Program manager, she oversaw the initial visioning, design, and eventual delivery of innovative integrated science instruction through the roll-out of 6 new iCons courses. Markarian was recognized for excellence in her work by winning the 2011 Chancellor’s Citation Award, the highest award given to staff members at the UMass Amherst campus. Markarian also won the first annual iCons Prize in 2014, given to individuals who (quoting from the award citation) “possess the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to solve the inherently multi-faceted problems facing the world.”
“Though I had a great run managing iCons, I am delighted to focus my efforts on developing brand new programs in the College of Natural Sciences, especially those that offer the potential of bringing new populations of students into studying science here on campus,” said Markarian.
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Dr. Martha Baker, said, “We are thrilled to have Jane focus on building these new initiatives in CNS. Jane possesses a terrific high-level understanding for what we’re trying to accomplish, and complements that with the ability to convert these ideas into real, practical programs.”
iCons Director, Prof. Scott Auerbach, commented: “Although we will certainly miss Jane’s remarkable mixture of big ideas and attention to detail, we know that great new things await Jane as she pivots toward programs such as Eureka! and Women in Science initiatives.”
Markarian holds a BA in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Chicago, and an MA in teaching from UMass Amherst.
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