Molina Walters

Molina Walters is a California native who joined the ASU Polytechnic education staff in August of 2004. She currently teaches elementary and secondary science method courses and environmental education courses. Walters is the program coordinator for the Environmental Education Program of Distinction Certificate and the developer of numerous science professional development opportunities. She is a Barrett Honors faculty mentoring honor students and overseeing their projects, and a Study Abroad program advisor leading a yearly study to Costa Rica focusing on Tropical Ecology, schooling and culture. Professor Walters also helps organize ASU Open Door activities and Engineering Day events in collaboration with Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. She supervises elementary and secondary students, runs Family Science/STEM Night events in East Valley schools, advises an educators Science Club and is an international consultant.

Professor Walters' main research interests are in the areas of STEM, problem-based learning & inquiry-based teaching, environmental education and best practices in professional development. She is the co-chair of the professional development and teaching group for the North America Association for Environmental Education. Professor Walters is the creator/lead teacher consultant for Teaching Inquiry-Based STEM Science, a professional development for educators. She has served as Project Learning Tree and Project Wild CDO-state coordinator, secretary for the Arizona Association for Environmental Education, and a BS council member on both the Audubon Education Committee and the AZventure Advisory Council for Arizona Foundation for Resources in Science Education. Professor Walters is collaborating with Salt River Project in identifying factors that contribute to best teaching practices for sustainable professor development. She works with a team to analyze survey responses from educators attending a four-day summer institute, Teaching Inquiry-Based STEM science. She is also researching the impacts of the Environmental Education Program of Distinction coursework on student awareness, attitudes, and actions.