Dr. Laura Peticolas is the Associate Director of EdEon STEM Learning at Sonoma State University. She works to engage teachers and students in Earth and Space Physics participatory experiences using coding, hardware, and experimental design. Dr. Peticolas has over 15 years of experience in the education and outreach fields. Dr. Peticolas leads and co-leads NSF-, NASA- and Department of Education-funded national science education programs. She continues to create Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) activities and curricula and provide professional development for educators on topics in physics, computing, engineering, earth science, and space science, all while leading large-scale programs.

Dr. Peticolas received her B.A. in mathematics and physics at the University of Oregon Honors College in 1993 and her Ph.D. in physics studying the aurora at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, in 2000. She spent three years as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL), continuing her study of Earth’s aurora using NASA’s Fast Auroral SnapshoT satellite data and computational models. During this time, she expanded her research to include developing computer models of the Martian aurora, which continued for several years. Ultimately, she forewent science research to lead the education group at SSL. After 17 years at SSL, Dr. Peticolas joined Sonoma State University to continue her passion for mentoring under-represented, economically disadvantaged, and historically marginalized students in STEM and Computing careers.