Selene Verhofstad
Selene Verhofstad
Fellowship Placement: U.S. Department of Defense
Hometown: Pasadena, TX
With a career spanning over a decade, Selene has made significant contributions to science education at various levels. She teaches introductory chemistry online at San Jacinto Community College-Generation Park, and Pasadena Virtual School, where she engages students in foundational chemistry concepts through innovative online platforms. Prior to this, she spent ten years teaching Pre-AP Chemistry for Early College students at J. Frank Dobie High School, where she also led inquiry-based labs in Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Physics for grades 9-12. Her dedication to fostering student engagement extended to her role as an Academic Decathlon coach, where she successfully coordinated and facilitated competitions that challenged students to excel in a range of academic disciplines. Selene has taught science teaching methods at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she aimed to inspire the next generation of educators, from elementary to high school levels. Her academic credentials include a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction-STEM Emphasis from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she also earned her Masters. She holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Houston, having completed the teachHouston program to prepare for her career in secondary science education. Throughout her career, Selene has received numerous accolades, including five prestigious awards during the 2023-2024 school year: the Shell Science Teaching Award (Semi-Finalist), the Outstanding Secondary Science Teacher by the Science Teaching Association of Texas (STAT), the Shell Regional Lab Challenge Award, where she was able to order $10,000 worth of science equipment, the Wilhelmina C. Robertson Teaching Excellence Award, and the Ernest and Sarah Butler Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. Her commitment to advancing STEM education is further exemplified by her leadership in her extensive involvement in professional development opportunities such as being part of the Urban Science Education Advisory Board for NSTA and five-year fellowship, The Texas Leadership Initiative for Inquiry Science Teaching (TLIIST) at Rice University Office of STEM Engagement. Dr. Verhofstad is motivated by a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives. She strives to create an inclusive, inquiry-based learning environment where students feel empowered to take intellectual risks and explore scientific concepts in depth. Her work on STEM-related policy topics has involved collaboration with stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels, where she has contributed to communication on standards in Engineering Instruction with the creation of a K-12 Engineering Guidebook with her NSF TaLENt Fellowship members.
