Dr. Tom J. McConnell is a science teacher educator at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.  He holds a MS in Secondary Science Education from Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne and a BS in Biology and a PhD in Science Education from Purdue University.  He taught high school biology for 14 years prior to moving into higher education, and served as a postdoctoral research associate at Michigan State University after completing his doctoral studies. 

Dr. McConnell’s teaching includes courses for elementary and secondary science education majors, including Biology Concepts for Teachers.  He is also a faculty member in the Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellowships program at Ball State.  His research and publications are directed toward professional development for teachers with an emphasis on teaching science as inquiry.  These projects have included Problem-Based Learning for Teachers, Engineering STEM Success, and the Conservation Educator Academy at the International Orangutan Center. He also serves as the director of the East Central Indiana Regional Science Fair, and sponsor of the Cardinal Association of Teachers of Science, a student affiliate of the National Science Teachers Association. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Inc.