The search committee for the role of dean of the Faculty of Education has completed its work and recommended Dr. Karen Goodnough for the position.

President Gary Kachanoski has accepted the recommendation; the Board of Regents approved the appointment on June 19, 2019. Dr. Goodnough’s appointment as dean is effective Sept. 1, 2019.

An award-winning educator, researcher and leading authority in the area of science teacher education and teacher inquiry, Dr. Goodnough has been a faculty member at Memorial since 2003.

She previously served in the role of associate dean (undergraduate programs) in the Faculty of Education for a three-year term. Prior to arriving at Memorial she held faculty appointments at the University of New Brunswick and the University of Rochester in New York.

‘Highly engaged’

“Dr. Goodnough has been a highly engaged member of the Memorial community over the years,” said Dr. Noreen Golfman, provost and vice-president (academic).

“She began her academic career as a student here, left to pursue her PhD, returned and quickly became recognized for her scholarship in not just teaching and learning, but also research and community engagement. We are fortunate to have her on the team and I look forward to working with her to advance the priorities of the Faculty of Education.”

Background

During her time at Memorial Dr. Goodnough has been actively engaged in research that focuses on collaborative action research, inclusive science education, pre-service teacher education and professional learning in teacher education and higher education.

She was the recipient of Memorial’s 2016 President’s Award for Outstanding Research in recognition of her outstanding contributions to research and scholarship focused on enhancing teacher knowledge; improving classroom practice in the area of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); and developing community-based partnerships focused on making a social difference.

Throughout her academic career, Dr. Goodnough has collaborated with other investigators locally, nationally and internationally. She has been at the forefront of the “teacher as researcher” movement, which aims to engage teachers as scholars of their practice.

Dr. Goodnough holds a PhD from the University of Toronto, as well as three degrees from Memorial: M.Ed., B.Ed. and B.Sc. She began her career as a high school science teacher before moving to academia.

“I extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Kirk Anderson for his contributions to advancing the Faculty of Education during his two terms as dean,” said Dr. Golfman. “I also thank members of the search committee for their thorough work on this search. I am very pleased with the outcome and look forward to working with Dr. Goodnough in her new role.”