Meet J. Carrie Launius

Championing Excellence in STEM and Beyond

J. Carrie Launius brings an impressive 40-year career in education to her work, having served in pivotal roles including elementary teacher, district science coordinator, and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. Deeply dedicated to teacher preparation and advancing science teaching and learning, Carrie taught elementary science methods courses for over 20 years, shaping generations of future educators. She continues to lead at both the state and national levels, serving as Executive Director and past president of the Science Teachers of Missouri (STOM). She currently chairs the prestigious writing committee for the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Elementary Science Position Statement, having also chaired the NSTA Awards Committee, the selection committee for the national Shell Science Teaching Award, and the NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books Committee, while actively serving on the National Equity in Science Committee.

A visionary advocate for integrating quality trade literature into STEM, Carrie conceived and co-founded the NSTA/CBC Best STEM Book Award and again serves on the selection committee. She has written signature science and STEM programs for Springboard to Learning, creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences for students. Her systemic leadership in broadening access and participation also includes collaborating with Shell Oil and the Smithsonian Institution to develop initiatives to recruit and retain minority STEM educators.

Carrie’s assessment expertise has shaped statewide benchmarks, including writing, reviewing, and evaluating content bias and fairness for the Missouri Grades 5 and 8 state assessments and the High School End-of-Course Biology exam. A former education columnist for The St. Louis Globe-Democrat, her work with curriculum alignment, teacher coaching, and systemic equity has driven documented double-digit achievement gains in historically underserved districts, leaving an enduring impact on educators and young scientists alike.