Dr. Vukica Jovanović, PI, is a Batten Fellow and an Associate Professor of Engineering Technology, in  Batten College of Engineering and Technology. She is a Director of the Digital Manufacturing and Mechatronics Lab and lead faculty for Mechatronics Systems area of specialization.  Dr.Jovanovic conducts research in the areas of engineering education, broadening participation, mechatronics, digital thread, and engineering graphics. She has funded projects in broadening participation from National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, and Virginia Space Grant Consortium.

ODU BLAST Administration Personnel
Dr. Cynthia Tomovic, Co-PI,  joined the Department of STEM Education and Professional Studies, Old Dominion University, as a Professor in 2008 where she most recently has conducted research and published in the area of STEM education and STEM career access for urban students. Dr. Tomovic is also Program Director for Organizational Training, an area of concentration in the B.S., Occupational and Technical Studies program, a transfer-friendly career-pathway program for students interested in organizational leadership and training. Dr. Cynthia Tomovic teaches, conducts research, and consults in STEM education, workforce development, organizational leadership and development, and quality and organizational performance improvement.

 Dr. Tysha L. Sanford Batts, STEM Education Specialist, Virginia Space Grant Consortium. coordinates and lead all aspects of BLAST (Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology). Before this position, she worked as a Master Teacher for Virginia Space Grant Consortium. Before that, she was a Science Lead Teacher for the science department at Newport News Public Schools, Newport News, Virginia.

ODU BLAST 2019 Teacher Chaperons

Ayanna Fonseca has worked at Woodside High School for the past eleven years teaching Biology, Marine Biology, and Human Anatomy and Physiology. Her philosophy as a teacher continues to be maintaining a classroom where students feel safe, respected and encouraged to learn through hands-on activities. This past year she served as a master teacher with “Virginia Space Coast Scholars” and recently returned from serving as a chaperone at Blast Camp on the campus of Virginia Tech. She is excited to aid in exposing future budding scientist to careers in the STEM field.

Mrs. Ardenia Lewis is a Career and Technology Education Teacher at Gar-Field High School, Woodbridge, VA. Mrs. Lewis has been teaching in the Technology Education Field for the past ten years at Gar-Field High School in Prince William County.  She was certified as a VASTS scholars in 2013 and has been with the BLAST’s camp since its induction in 2013 at UVA, Project Lead the Way Introduction to Engineering Design 2015 and George Mason University Gaming 2016. Mrs. Lewis also serves as the Northern Regional President for VTEEA, coaches VEX and FTC robotics teams that have won numerous awards and made it to the World’s championship in each.  Mrs. Lewis has been married for 26 years and has one son, who will be attending Norfolk State University this Fall and a nine-year-old Shitzu-poodle dog named Colby.

Marta Cintron is a teacher at Woodside High School in Newport News, VA.

Dr. Tomeka Wilcher is Assistant Professor at School of Education and Human Development at Hampton University, Hampton, VA. Dr. Tomeka Wilcher worked at Heritage High School located in Newport News, VA for 12 years. Within those 12 years, she served within the following capacities: English teacher (10 Ave/10 Hon/Pre-IB; 11 Ave/11 Hon; 12 Hon/12 AP); mentor to at-risk young women and men; new teacher mentor/coach; and content team lead teacher. In 2015, she took on an Assistant Professorship within Hampton University’s Department of Education. Her areas of expertise are the following: curriculum, adolescent literacy, developmental reading and writing, and teaching high school English. She decided to make this transition because of her passion for supporting and mentoring pre-service teachers/student-teachers, as well as new/novice teachers. She believes in providing the support, guidance, resources, strategies, and words of encouragement and wisdom, which will provide her future and new/novice teachers with the foundation needed to be successful and resilient as they take on one of the most important roles one could ever possess.

Matthew Scott is an Earth Science Teacher at ‎Henrico County Public Schools. He is a Secondary Science Teacher, with strong interests in Space and Earth sciences. His experiences at NASA, as a field geologist, and travels around the country and abroad inform his views on science: science is best learned with hands-on experiences, with a skilled and passionate instructor to guide learning.

Franklin Council
Ayanna Fonseca
NaShawn Jefferies
Marlon McSwain
Rodrick Monroe Jr. is Mathematics Teacher at Heritage High School at Newport News, Virginia. He is Department Lead, Geometry, Alg. Functions & Data. He has taught Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2.  He is a dedicated educator, who wants all students to succeed.