The enthusiasm and talents of Knowles Fellows are amazing; they are making an enormous difference in the next generation of informed citizens.”

Paul’s Story

Paul Kuerbis joined the Knowles Board of Trustees in 2008, having previously served as a member of Knowles’ Science Advisory Committee. Dr. Kuerbis has been a Professor of (Science) Education at Colorado College since 1973 and also served as director of the college’s Crown Faculty Center for faculty development from 2009 to 2012 when he retired with emeritus status. In 2015 he returned to the college to serve as Ombudsperson for faculty and staff.

Dr. Kuerbis has devoted his career to science education and the professional development of science and mathematics teachers. He began his career as a secondary (7-12) science teacher implementing inquiry-based curricula in his school while also serving as department chair. His work then in mentoring new science teachers led him to his life-long pursuit of excellence in science teacher education. At Colorado College since 1973, he founded and directed the Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Science program that leads to Colorado licensure, and he founded and directed the Master of Arts in Teaching Integrated Natural Sciences program for K-12 experienced teachers.

Dr. Kuerbis is the recipient of several Colorado Eisenhower/ Math Science Partnership grants as well as grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) totaling over $15 million. From 2000 to 2008, he was Co-Principal Investigator of the $6.3 million STEP-uP (Science Teacher Enhancement Unifying the Pikes Peak region) grant that impacted over 2800 K-6 teachers in five school districts. From 2008-2011, he was the Director of a Colorado Math Science Partnership grant for middle school science based at Colorado College.

Past president of the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE), Dr. Kuerbis has served on the Governor’s Board of Directors for the Colorado Statewide Systemic Initiative in Science. He was the initial science teacher educator on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Undergraduate Science from 1996-2000. He also served as contributing author and special consultant to several publications of the National Academies dealing with STEM teacher education and development, including the National Science Education Standards (1996). He currently chairs the Advisory Board for PKAL (Project Kaleidoscope), a higher education STEM reform initiative within the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, DC. He has served as a mentor and co-facilitator of PKAL’s national Science Leadership Initiative for preparing STEM faculty to assume leadership roles at their universities.

Dr. Kuerbis received his BS in biology from St. Mary’s College (CA), his Master’s in zoology from the University of California, Los Angeles and his PhD in science education from the University of California, Berkeley.