Gina Navoa Svarovsky

Gina Navoa Svarovsky is the Faculty Director of the Center for Broader Impacts, the Interim Director of the Center for STEM Education, and an Associate Professor of the Practice at the University of Notre Dame.

For nearly two decades, she has been interested in how young people learn science and engineering in both formal and informal learning environments. Specifically, her research centers on exploring how youth and families from traditionally underrepresented populations in engineering are able to develop engineering interest, skills, knowledge, and ways of thinking as a result of engaging in authentic engineering activities within a wide range of learning contexts. Prior to returning to Notre Dame in 2014, she worked as a Senior Evaluation and Research associate at the Science Museum of Minnesota, where she led several research and evaluation studies focused on exploring informal STEM learning. Dr. Svarovsky earned her BS in Chemical Engineering from Notre Dame and her PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin.

• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin
• M.S. in Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin
• M.Ed., University of Notre Dame

• Equity-centered preK-12 Engineering Education

• STEM Integration

• Informal STEM Learning (particularly in museums and programs)

• Pattison, S., Ramos-Montañez, S., López Burgos, V., Tominey, S., Quijano, M., Svarovsky, G.. (Under review). Whole Child, Whole Family, Whole Community: Developing Shared Problems of Practice with Latine Families Related to STEM Learning in Early Childhood. Submitted to the American Educational Research Journal.

• Pattison, S., Svarovsky, G.N., Ramos-Montañez, S., Burgos, V.L., Santiago, A., De Los Santos, S. (2023). Family-Centered Research: Reflections from a Zoom-based Recording Method of Families Learning Together at Home. Educational Researcher, 52(9). https://doiorg/ 10.3102/0013189X2312045

• Svarovsky, G. N., Wagner, C., Lettau, M., Marfo, K., Pattison, S., Ramos-Montañez, S., López Burgos, V., Corbett, A. R., Quijano, M. D., & Contreras, D. (2024). Supporting Early Childhood Educators in Implementing and Adapting Research-based Engineering Activities Designed for Families. Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, OR., June 2024. Best Paper in Division – Honorable Mention.

• Wagner, C., Svarovsky, G.N., Lettau, M., Marfo, K., Ortiz, A.L., Ryan, D., Pattison, S.A., Ramos-Montañez, S., Burgos, V.L., De Los Santos, S., Quijano, M., & Corbett, A. (2023). Exploring the Nature of Engineering During Home-based Engineering Activities Designed for Spanish- and English-speaking Families with Young Children. Paper presented at the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition, Baltimore, MD., June 2023. Best Paper in Division – Honorable Mention.

• Pattison, S., Ramos-Montañez, S., & Svarovsky, G. (2022). Family values, parent roles,and life challenges: Parent reflections on the factors shaping long‐term interest development for young children and their families participating in an early childhood engineering program. Science Education, 106(6), 1568-1604.

• Cardella, M., Svarovsky, G. N., Pattison, S. (2020). Engineering Education in Pre-Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade: An Overview. Commissioned paper by the Committee on Enhancing Science and Engineering in Prekindergarten through Fifth Grade at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

• Learning in Informal Environments (ESS 20208)

• Wellbeing Informed by Science and Evidence in Indiana (WISE Indiana) (2023-2026)

• RET Site: Biologically Inspired Computing Models, Systems, and Applications (2023-2025)

• Head Start on Engineering: Developing a Learning Community to Study and Support Family-level Interest in Engineering (2019-2025)