Meet J. Carrie Launius

Championing Excellence in STEM and Beyond

J. Carrie Launius boasts an impressive 40-year career in education, holding numerous impactful roles, including elementary teacher, science coordinator, and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. She is deeply committed to supporting educators at all levels. Carrie serves in leadership roles with several organizations, such as Science Teachers of Missouri (STOM) as president and Executive Director and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) as chairperson for various committees, including the Awards Committee, the NSTA/CBC Outstanding Tradebook Committee, and the National Equity in Science Committee to name a few.

As a visionary leader in STEM education, Carrie was pivotal in creating the NSTA/CBC Best STEM Book Award and establishing its foundations. She also collaborated with Shell Oil and the Smithsonian Institute to develop a program for hiring and retaining minority STEM teachers. Additionally, Carrie is an advisor on several boards, including the Savvas Elementary Science Board and the Middle School Science Advisory Board.

Carrie's expertise has been applied to the Missouri Grade 5 and 8 state tests and the High School End of Course Biology test.  She contributed to writing, reviewing, and ensuring fairness in the content and bias. Additionally, she shared this expertise as an Education Columnist for The St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Carrie's dedication to educational excellence and equity has successfully increased test scores in underserved districts, often with double-digit gains that left a lasting impact on countless educators and students.