Chris Murray,
Faculty, Principle Investigator (NSERC PromoScience “Farm Lab” Project)
Chris has worked in science education and outreach for more than fifteen years. A member of the Physics Department and Adjunct member of the Faculty of Education, Chris is the faculty coordinator for the Orillia/Barrie site of Let’s Talk Science. Through the various outreach programs he supervises, over 40 Lakehead student volunteers and more than a thousand elementary- and secondary-school students participate in hands-on science extension activities every year.
Jacob Kearey-Moreland
Farm Lab Coordinator
Jacob is a PhD student in Educational Studies at Lakehead University (Orillia) researching community food literacy and teacher education. He recently completed a Master of Education at Lakehead University researching how to better support educators for the success of garden-based learning (thesis link). He teaches courses at LU related to democracy and social justice education, and the course “Sustainable Practices in Agriculture” at Georgian College. He currently serves as VP for the Simcoe-Dufferin Local of the National Farmers Union-Ontario, board member of The Sharing Place Food Centre, chairs Orillia’s Food Working Group, and coordinates the Farm Lab – an agroecological learning commons and K-12-school outreach program. An agroecologist, community gardener and seed librarian, Jacob is passionate about food systems transformation and the joy of growing and sharing seeds and food.
Linda Grant
Garden-Based Educator
Linda Grant has been working in Education for 30 years. In that time she has worked in Elementary, Secondary, and Post-Secondary Education. Living on Haida Gwaii, BC, teaching K-7, she started to integrate First Nations Ways of Knowing, Outdoor Education and Experiential Learning into her teaching. This led to doing a Master of Education in Mathematics and gardening in a small First Nations Community in Ontario (thesis link). Her children attended an Outdoor Education based school that connected the curriculum to activities including kayaking, camping, stream exploration, and hiking. This led to a passion for connecting curriculum to engaging outdoor activities, especially gardening. Linda teaches K-6 Mathematics Education at Lakehead University and takes her students to the garden to learn. At the Farm Lab, Linda works alongside teachers and students integrating curriculum through gardening.
Ellen Field
Faculty Co-Investigator (NSERC PromoScience “Farm Lab” Project)
Ellen is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University – Orillia, where she teaches Climate Change Education (MEd) and Environmental Education (BEd). Ellen’s research focuses on policy and practice of climate change education. Ellen provides strategic support for the Farm Lab project and integration throughout Lakehead’s BEd program. Learn more about Ellen here. You can also see more about Ellen’s work in the Accelerating Climate Change Education across Teacher Education project including helpful webinars for educators.
Lindsay Sargent
Garden-Based Educator
Lindsay Sargent is a Masters of Education candidate and sessional instructor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University. Lindsay has taught in K-7 classrooms, developed professional learning resources for educators and spent time learning alongside curious children at Forest School. Her teaching and research interests include environmental education, garden-based learning, Place-based approaches and reconciliation rooted in Land. Lindsay is also an avid gardener with a large home vegetable garden and a flock of egg-laying feathered friends.
Mellissa Spencer
Let’s Talk Science, Orillia Site Coordinator
Mellissa is a student in the Concurrent Education program at Lakehead University, Orillia, with a passion for garden based education, bringing her experience as an educator and in community service to the Farm Lab team. As the Orillia Site Coordinator for Lets Talk Science, Mellissa recruits and supports volunteers, helps plan activities and organizes activity supplies for science outreach programming.