Julia MaKinster
Julia G MaKinsterProfessor of Educational Studies
Joined faculty in 2002
Ph.D., Indiana University at Bloomington, 2002
M.S., University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 1998
B.S., Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1995
Contact Information
Scholarly Interest
SCIENCE, CONSERVATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Executive Director, Environmental Studies Summer Youth Institute (ESSYI), 2006–2025
- Directed a two-week, college-level residential program for 50 high school students exploring environmental science, policy, economics, art, and ethics through fieldwork, laboratory research, and a four-day camping trip. ESSYI became the College’s first full-credit, on-campus course for high school students.
- Led a faculty team of 16–20 and a $180K tuition-based budget; supervised an Associate Director, an Adirondacks Director, and 10 college student staff.
- Built foundation partnerships nationwide to fund up to 23 full-tuition scholarships a year for academically talented students from underrepresented and financially challenged backgrounds ($558K, 2006–2025); created initiatives to broaden participation by race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and learning ability.
Director and Principal Investigator, Crossing Boundaries Project, 2008–2013
- National Science Foundation project ($1,498,811) in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; delivered 440 hours of professional development to 80 teachers who taught about 10,000 students, using geospatial technology to study biodiversity conservation in local settings, Brazil, Mexico, and Kenya.
- Led a curriculum trip to Kenya and established partnerships with conservation and non-governmental organizations; co-produced conservation science videos with the Lab’s Director of Conservation Media; co-authored the Revere Award-winning curriculum Birds Without Borders (2017).
Director and Principal Investigator, GIT Ahead Project, 2006–2010
- National Science Foundation project ($899,500) with Cayuga Community College, Cornell University, and the Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology to create geospatial career pathways for rural and urban high school students; delivered 330+ hours of teacher professional development per year and led the research on its impact on teacher practice.
Study Abroad
- Study Abroad Director: Galway, Ireland (Spring 2018; Environmental Policy and Sustainability in Ireland)
- Auckland, New Zealand (Fall 2015; Education and Diversity)
- Co-Director, Brisbane, Australia (Fall 2005; field ecology and geology).
Teaching Experience
APPOINTMENTS AT HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH
- Professor of Educational Studies, 2014–present
- Vice Provost for Assessment, Accreditation and Institutional Effectiveness, 2024–2025
- Senior Associate Provost for Curriculum, Assessment and Strategic Planning, 2022–2024
- Dean of Graduate Studies, 2023–2024
- Associate Provost for Curricular Initiatives and Development, 2021–2022
- Department Chair, Educational Studies, 2009–2012; 2013–2014
- Associate Professor of Educational Studies, 2008–2014
- Assistant Professor of Educational Studies, 2002–2008
ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP
Vice Provost for Assessment, Accreditation, and Institutional Effectiveness, 2024–2025
- Served as chief accreditation officer for HWS' review by the New England Commission on Higher Education: co-chaired the Steering Committee and directed seven working groups of 45 faculty and staff.
- Supervised Institutional Research and the Office of Academic Summer Programs; led college-wide assessment and comprehensive program review for four to six departments a year.
- Co-chaired the Instructional Space Committee, allocating $235K (2023) and $410K (2024); advised the Provost and Dean of Faculty on budgets, staffing, and resources.
Senior Associate Provost for Curriculum, Assessment, and Strategic Planning, 2022–2024
- Lead author of the application that moved the College from the Middle States Commission to NECHE, the first voluntary change of regional accreditor in the country, resulting in initial five-year accreditation.
- Co-led a strategic review of all 37 departments; contributed to the Academic Strategic Planning Task Force and a faculty-led general education reform; co-designed two curriculum retreats of 100+ participants; lead author of the Guidelines for Institutional Program Evaluation.
- Built the Office of Summer Academic Programs and coordinated the Curricular Innovation Initiative (30–40 faculty a year); co-authored the second edition of the Strategic Diversity Plan; co-chaired the JED Campus Task Force on mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention.
Dean of Graduate Studies (concurrent), 2023–2024
- Oversaw three master’s programs (Higher Education Leadership, Teaching, Management) and their directors; unified the graduate application system with Admissions; managed intersession terms ($400–500K, 100–150 students a year) and the Foreign Language Teaching Fellow Program ($81K a year).
Associate Provost for Curricular Initiatives and Development, 2021–2022
- Co-led the Capital Campaign Academic Excellence Working Group and wrote its visioning document; directed the Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership and chaired the committee that created it; led adoption of the Student Learning Feedback Form (180+ faculty, 400+ forms) and the Identity Questions Policy; led the Gender Inclusiveness Task Force for Data Management.
Chair, Department of Educational Studies, 2009–2012 and 2013–2014
- Led the Teacher Education Program to national accreditation (Teacher Education Accreditation Council); managed the departmental budget; supervised faculty and staff; chaired faculty searches; mentored untenured faculty.
Research
Grants and Funding
Total funding secured: $3.9M from federal agencies, foundations, and government, including:
- National Science Foundation, Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers: $1.5M (2008–2012), lead PI.
- National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education: $900K (2006–2009), lead PI.
- National Science Foundation, Discovery Research in K-12: $450K (2010–2011), co-PI.
- New York State Department of Education, Finger Lakes Institute Outreach: $300K (2005).
- ESSYI scholarship partners: $558K (2006–2025); George I. Alden Trust: $150K (2010); New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium: $30K (2014–2016); plus awards from the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, Independent College Fund of New York, Finger Lakes Wired, and the Rochester Area Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Science.
Courses Taught
Courses taught at Hobart and William Smith College (* = regularly taught). My courses emphasize leadership, sustainability, science education, diversity, and technology; I also teach in the Teacher Education Program and the Master of Arts in Teaching, and have advised 14 master’s research projects.
Environmental Studies and Sustainability
- ENV325: Environmental Leadership*
- EDUC348: Our National Parks*
- EDUC351: Teaching and Learning Through Citizen Science *
- EDUC360: Teaching for a Sustainable Environment*
- GAL115: Environmental Policy and Sustainability in Ireland
Science Education and Technology
- EDUC083-01: Teaching Elementary Science*
- EDUC083-02: Teaching Secondary Science*
- BIOL146: Biology for Elementary Science
- EDUC336: Science and Cognition: Ways of Thinking in Science
- EDUC349: Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry in Schools
- EDUC346: Technology in Education*
- EDUC791: GIS in Schools
- EDUC792: Teaching with Emerging Technologies
Education, Leadership and Research
- EDUC225: Contemporary Concepts in Educational Leadership*
- EDUC401: Analysis of Teaching in Secondary Schools
- EDUC420: Research in Education
- EDUC801: Master’s Group Project*
- EDUC820: Graduate Seminar in Education
- AUCK377: Education and Diversity: New Zealand and the United States
- FSEM141: The Lens of Stand-Up Comedy*
Publications
Total: 7 books, 28 journal articles, 6 book chapters, and 83 keynotes, workshops, and conference presentations.
- Books: Gender Inclusiveness and Belonging in Higher Education (with L. Lewis, forthcoming); Gender Inclusivity Standards and Expectations for Higher Education (2025); Birds Without Borders (Carte Diem Press, 2017; Revere Award); Teaching Science and Investigating Environmental Issues with Geospatial Technology (Springer, 2014; lead editor).
- Selected articles: Journal of Science Teacher Education; The Science Teacher; American Biology Teacher; Science Education; Marine Ecology Progress Series; Copeia; essays in The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed.
- Presentations: National Science Teachers Association (2013–2017), Ecological Society of America, NSF principal investigator meetings; LGBTQ+ Summit, Ventura College (2026); LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education Institute (2024, 2025); Syracuse University DEIA Conference (2024).
- Awards: Association of American Publishers Revere Award (2017); Outstanding Paper Awards, Association for Science Teacher Education (2009) and SITE (2008); National Technology Leadership Initiative Fellowship (2008).
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Scientist-educator trained in environmental and evolutionary biology, with more than two decades of experience building science and conservation education programs, teaching environmental leadership and science teacher education, and securing federal and foundation funding for field-based learning. Directed the Environmental Studies Summer Youth Institute for 20 years, led two National Science Foundation projects with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and regional partners, and later served in senior academic leadership roles at the College, including Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies.
SERVICE PROJECTS
Selected College Service
- Co-Chair, Task Force on Gender Inclusiveness in Data Management (2021–2023)
- Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (2021–2023)
- Committee on the Faculty (2016–2017; 2018–2020)
- Co-Chair, Subcommittee on Teaching Effectiveness and on Student Evaluations
- Chair, Faculty Technology Committee (2010–2011)
- Finger Lakes Institute Supervisory Committee (2004–2009)
- Search committees for the Provost and Dean of Faculty (2019) and Vice President for Finance and Administration (2015)