Elizabeth Anne VanderPutten 

Summary of Experiences

National Science Foundation Social Scientist. Position: Program Director, REPP/EHR; Division REC/DUE/MSP/OAD; May 15, 1998 to Present.

Program Director in several programs including Research on Learning and Education (ROLE), Research and Evaluation on Science and Engineering Education (REESE), Math Science Partnerships, and the Advanced Learning Technology Program. Lead program Director for the first year of REESE in 2006. Participated in cross-Directorate activities including chairing the CAREER coordinating Committee, member of the ADVANCE and DR K-12 committee. Temporarily assigned in 2005 to the U.S. Embassy in Berlin as an Embassy Fellow. Conducted an assessment of higher education policy in Germany with a particular emphasis on innovation. This involved broad travel to interview university presidents, government ministers, and private research organization leaders.

"The incumbent serves as Program Director for Research in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, and as a Program Officer for the Research on Education, Policy, and Practice (REPP) Program in the Division of Research, Evaluation and Communication of the Directorate. The Division houses the EHR Directorate's research programs and its technology research and development efforts and is the focal point for EHR participation in the three components of the Knowledge and Distributed Systems (KDI) NSF-wide Initiative (Learning and Intelligent Systems, Knowledge networking, and New Challenges in Computation). The incumbent provides leadership and coordination for the group of EHR Program Officers with responsibilities related to the development, growth and integration of research related to education within the Directorate and within the Foundation." (Complete Official Position Description)

Chief, Systems and Services Branch, Division of Administrative Services, 2/1/94 - 6/15/98

Responsible for managing three sections, 16 staff and a budget of $700,000. Implemented a broad array of technological services including the NSF Intranet, Video teleconferencing, NSF Broadband system, satellite down linking and various sound and projection systems. Enhanced the library, particularly the provision of electronic services and databases. Planned and managed the NSF Exhibit Center, including developing the Digital Library Exhibit in cooperation with CISE, DARPA and CNRI. Also supervise Procurement, Meeting and Travel Services and the Information Desk.

Chief, Customer Service Branch, Division of Information Systems 3/12/89 - 2/1/94

Five years managing computer user support and training to NSF staff in as section head and then as branch Chief. Services included developing formal and informal training programs, managing the DIS Helpdesk which provides the full range of user services for NSF's computer infrastructure, conducting acceptance testing for all new systems and serving as liaison to the Directorate of MPS in the design of new systems. Developed the first comprehensive user-training guide for DIS, expanded training. During a part time detail, helped set up the White House PC network and provided training to the staff. Served on the NSF Director's Special Topics Task Force on Cross-Disciplinary Activities.

Special Assistant to the Director, Division of Information Systems 1/4/88 - 3/12/89

Responsible for budget analysis and preparation, development and implementation of staffing plans, and writing policy reports. Provided staff work for the NSF Task Force on Special Programs for Career Advancement Programs for Women.

Washington Educational Development Corporation, Independent Consultant, 1987

Projects included the development and publication of the Statistical Standards and Policies for the National Center for Educational Statistics.

Senior Associate, Office of the Director, National Institute of Education and the National Center for Educational Statistics. 1986-1987 Supervisor: Emerson Elliot

• Developed the MIS (management information system) for NIE. This was the first online computer system for proposal and award tracking in the Department of Education. 
• Introduced the first PCs into the Institute.

Project Director, Secretary Bell's Task Force on Education and Technology, 1984-1986.

The Secretary appointed leaders from the computer industry, higher education and secondary education to examine and make recommendations on the appropriate use of the growing technology infrastructure. As Project Director, I was responsible reviewing and synthesizing the related literature, planning four national conferences, drafting the report and producing final set of recommendations. Among the significant recommendations were that educators must learn to use technology to provide new ways of learning, to emphasize higher cognitive studies and to provide greater access to quality education for all students.

Program Director of Research for Federal Programs for a Congressional Study of School Finance. 1982-1983

This multi-million dollar studied focused on the implementation of Federal and State educational programs, their interactions and their effects on local district operations. Responsible for writing the study plan, developing several RFPS for research, writing final report and presenting the results at various national meetings.

Associate, Office of Planning in the office of the Director, National Institute of Education. 1980-1982

Responsible for working with programs in developing short and long term research grants. Served as speechwriter for the Deputy Director.

Washington Educational Development Corporation, 1977 - 1980

Vice President for Education Research. Worked on projects of national and international significance. Under a grant from the World Bank, trained social science professors in Indonesia on inquiry teaching. Assistant Director of Vice President Mondale's National Conference on Youth Employment. Conference was designed to provide a national forum for the discussion of the new Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. I was responsible for ensuring the participation of the nation’s educational leadership in the conference. Coordinated with the White House Domestic Policy Staff. Over 2,000 persons attended the conference. Helped write the final report for the Vice President. Wrote and edited papers on educational issues for the Institute for Educational Leadership. Co-edited on a book on Grants Consolidation:  A New Balance in Federal Education Policy. Developed an energy education toolkit for the National Science Teachers Association.

Adjunct Appointments and Other Teaching, 1965 - 1980

Various adjunct appointments teaching Social Science methods to High School teachers, including an appointment to the University of Minnesota , Morris for an NSF sponsored summer institute on social science methods. Item Test Writer for the New York State Regents examinations. Taught junior and senior high school in New York State (1965-1977). Participated in the field-testing of several NSF sponsored programs including Exploring Human Nature (the senior high school counterpart of Man, A Course of Study) and Economics in Society. Served for one year as the director of an alternative "School within a School."