Yolanda Flores Niemann and Eric D. Packenham

Yolanda Flores Niemann, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at Utah
State University and Principal Investigator of the $30 million STARS!
(Science, Technology, Arithmetic, and Reading Students) GEAR UP
federal grant project designed to prepare middle school children from
high poverty areas for entry into and success in higher education.
Her research interests include the effects and social ecological
contexts of stereotypes across various domains, the psychological
effects of tokenism, and overcoming obstacles to higher education for
low socio-economic status group members. Her numerous publications
include multiple books, journal articles, and book chapters.

Eric D. Packenham, is the Project Director and is accountable for all
aspects of the Utah State University GEAR UP program. As director, he
establishes long and short-term strategies to accomplish USU GEAR UP's mission; oversees budget, match, and fiscal accountability; directs
data collection, analysis, and reporting; develops partnerships to
enhance sustainability efforts, community support, and systemic change in GEAR UP schools; and oversees staff development including hiring, training, and supervision. Packenham has expertise in working with state and national initiatives, for eight years he directed the
Mathematics and Science Education Network (MSEN) Pre-College Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. More recently
Packenham directed the Building a Presence for Science Program/Science Matters, a teacher professional developing and networking initiative of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).