Meet the Presenters
Kim Higgins received her BS from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in elementary education with a specialty in science. Her teaching background includes developing a program of hands-on science activities for 1st and 2nd graders, substitute teaching and teaching computer classes and preschool classes at the Science Museum of Minnesota. In her free time she enjoys following the Badger Band, college football and time at home with her family. Contact Kim at .
Sam Horak has been a licensed teacher since 1996. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Sam has been a teacher for the past 17 years including years at the Children's Farm School in Stillwater. Her interests lie in science and ecology. When she is not teaching, Sam is an avid outdoors woman. Contact Sam at .
Sue Meyer has been involved in the School Outreach Program at the Science Museum of Minnesota for over 18 years. During that time she has designed and developed many of the hands-on inquiry class sessions taught in the Residency Programs, presented lessons and assemblies to students ranging in age from preschool to high school, and assisted in development of Science Museum exhibits such as Mysteries of Çatalhöyük and Raise the Roof. The favorite thing Sue likes about outreaching teaching is the look on a person's face while they are going an experiment that shows they finally "get it!". Away from the museum and teaching in schools, she enjoys reading, cooking, collecting rocks and setting up holiday villages with small, lit-up ceramic buildings. Contact Sue at .
Aaron Pierson has worked at the Science Museum since 2000 for Youth and Family Programs, and more recently for School Outreach. He was also a long time presenter and instructor for Mad Science of Minnesota. Additionally he has worked with Special Education students at the Hancock/Hamline University Learning Center in St. Paul. He graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris with a BA in Theatre Arts. Aaron loves topics in design and engineering as well as brain science. At home he loves going to museums and nature centers with his family. Contact Aaron at .
Tony Skauge has worked with the museum in the Education Outreach department since early 2008. Prior to this, he taught 6th grade in Phoenix, Arizona where he was an award-winning educator. There he gained extensive experience working with English Language Learners, at-risk youth, and curriculum development that empathizes inquiry based teaching methods. He graduated from Minnesota State University-Moorhead with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. In his free time, Tony is a avid sports fan, who enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife. Contact Tony at .
Catherine Urban a.k.a. Katie comes to the school outreach program at the museum with over 20 years of experience in education, teaching in public, private, and overseas schools and educational settings. With a Master of Arts in Teaching and and a Bachelor of Arts in History, Katie loves topics relating to geology, environmental science, earth history and more. In her spare time, If she isn't walking the family dog, she can be found hiding in her garden! Contact Katie at .