Meet our faculty - Dr. Lara Pacifici, Biology

We are excited to share with you a little bit about our newest faculty member, Dr. Lara Pacifici.

Dr. Lara Pacifici earned a B.S. in Environmental and Forest Biology from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, a M.S. in Wildlife Biology from Auburn University, and a Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Georgia. She has worked on wildlife research projects, including dolphin and gray whale behavioral studies in San Diego, deer and small mammal tracking in the Adirondacks, and black bear habitat and population analyses in Pisgah National Forest. Dr. Pacifici taught biology at Raleigh Charter High School from 2004 to 2007. She was the assistant women’s soccer coach, Student Government co-advisor, and Science Olympiad assistant coach at Raleigh Charter. Research experiences played an important role in Dr. Pacifici’s understanding of science, so when she returned to graduate school in 2007, her doctoral research focused on the expectations and outcomes of undergraduates’ experiences participating in science research. After earning her doctorate, she worked as an Assistant Professor of Biology Education at Kennesaw State University in Georgia from 2010 to 2011. Dr. Pacifici and her family moved back to Raleigh in August of 2011. Since then, she has worked for North Carolina State University as a supervisor for student teachers.   

Meet our faculty - Dr. Amanda Marvelle, Biology and 21st Century Media

We are excited to share with you a little bit about our newest faculty member, Dr. Amanda Marvelle.

Dr. Amanda Marvelle earned her B.S. in Biology with an emphasis in computational science from Wofford College in 2003. Prior to her graduate studies, Dr. Marvelle researched the genetics of pheochromocytoma at the National Institute of Child and Human Development, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD as a Post-baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Fellow. In 2010, Dr. Marvelle received her Ph.D. in Genetics and Molecular Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under the direction of Dr. Karen Mohlke. Her research focused on the Genetics of Obesity-related Traits and Lipoproteins in Filipino Women. Dr. Marvelle has ten published peer-reviewed articles (née Nave) and was awarded the University of North Carolina Integrative Vascular Biology Predoctoral Fellowship and the Sarah Graham Kenan and Hobgood Edwards Dissertation Fellowship.  

Dr. Marvelle is currently the Education Director and High School Development Project Manager for the Contemporary Science Center and Research Triangle High School (RTHS). She teaches both day-long inquiry-based field studies as well as a biology lab for homeschooled students.  In addition, she coordinates and manages aspects of opening RTHS. Dr. Marvelle has an extensive background in science education; Most notably, she was an integral part of establishing North Carolina DNA Day and has taught students from elementary to adult in a range of science topics. She loves teaching and science! 

Meet our faculty - Mr. Alex Drake, History

We are excited to share with you a little bit about our newest faculty member, Mr. Alex Drake.

Mr. Alex Drake earned a B.A. in History and Secondary Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2005, and will complete work on his M.Ed. in higher education administration at Auburn University in May of 2012.  From 2005 to 2010, he was a social studies teacher at Robinson High School in Concord, N.C., where he taught U.S. History, AP U.S. History, Civics and Economics, and World History.  While at Robinson he also coached the quiz bowl team and was the Social Studies Department's representative on the School Improvement Team.  He was a finalist for Robinson's Teacher of the Year Award in 2010 and was a nominee for the UNC-Charlotte Beginning Teacher Award in 2008.  An avid trivia enthusiast, Mr. Drake was a contestant on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" in 2008. Mr. Grunden was his phone-a-friend lifeline and helped him answer the $4,000 question.  He also has an interest in athletics and has worked part-time for the Kannapolis Intimidators minor league baseball team as well as the athletic departments at UNC- Charlotte and Auburn.