Douglas M. Lapp and Anne B. Keiser Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center
Douglas M. Lapp and Anne B. Keiser Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center
Dr. Carol O’Donnell is the Douglas M. Lapp and Anne B. Keiser Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), an education organization of the Smithsonian Institution dedicated to transforming K-12 Education through Science in collaboration with communities across the globe. Carol is responsible for all operational activities and planning for the organization, including building awareness for Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) science education reform; conducting programs that support the professional growth of K–12 teachers and school leaders; and, overseeing all research and curriculum development, philanthropic development, and administration.
In her role as the Lapp-Keiser Director, Carol serves as the U.S. representative on the Global Council of the InterAcademy Partnership Science Education Programme, an appointment by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which jointly founded the SSEC in collaboration with the Smithsonian. Carol serves on the United Nations Broadband Commission on Sustainable Development Working Group on School Connectivity. She also represents the Smithsonian on the Subcommittee on Federal Coordination in STEM Education (FC-STEM), which advises and assists the Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) of the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive Office of the President. In her role on the Program Committee for the International Dialogue on STEM Education, Carol co-authored the position paper on “STEM Education for Sustainable Development”. Prior to joining the Smithsonian, Carol was a group leader at the US Department of Education (ED), supporting States’ and districts’ implementation of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) programs. She also oversaw the Cognition and Student Learning research grant program of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the research arm of the ED.
Carol is the winner of the 2008 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Graduate Research Excellence Award; 2021 National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity “Unsung Hero Award;” and the 2018 University of Pittsburgh Distinguished Alumni Award. O’Donnell’s team at SSEC was honored to receive the 2018 Smithsonian Innovation in Education Award and the 2024 One Smithsonian Education Award for their work on the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project.
A former elementary science teacher and curriculum developer, Dr. O’Donnell served for 15 years on the part-time faculty of the Physics Department at The George Washington University, where she earned her doctorate. She earned her Executive Education certificate in nonprofit management from the Harvard Business School. Her TedX talk “The Power of Physical Stuff in a Digital World” demonstrates her passion for integrating digital and physical interactions in science classrooms.
“This is a special moment in our lives. It brings us great joy to know that in years ahead, this amazing center will continue to thrive and transform K-12 education through science in collaboration with communities across the globe.” - Dr. Lapp and Ms. Keiser
About Douglas M. Lapp and Anne B. Keiser
Douglas M. Lapp and Anne B. Keiser are spouses and long-time supporters of the Smithsonian. Together, Dr. Lapp and Ms. Keiser serve as co-chairs of the Smithsonian Legacy Society. Ms. Keiser is a longtime freelance photographer and a former photographer and photo editor for National Geographic who has documented the humanitarian work of mountain climber Sir Edmund Hillary. She serves as a member of and is a former president of the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Dr. Lapp was appointed the Founding Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center in 1985 (then called the National Science Resources Center) and worked in that capacity for 16 years. He now holds emeritus status on the Center’s Board. Prior to his work at the Smithsonian, Dr. Lapp taught inquiry-based science as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon. He also established a science curriculum development center for the African Primary Science Program at Makerere University in Uganda. He then was appointed to be the Science Curriculum Development Specialist for the Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia.
About the Endowment
The gift to endow the director position cements critical support for the Smithsonian Institution, and will allow the Smithsonian Science Education Center to reach more science teachers and students with the Smithsonian's resources and programming. The naming pays homage to Dr. Lapp’s incredible achievements as the Center’s Founding Director, as well as the deep and meaningful relationships that Dr. Lapp and Ms. Keiser have fostered with Carol O’Donnell and throughout various areas of the institution over the years.
Director's Corner
Read more about more about the latest news and happenings with the Douglas M. Lapp and Anne B. Keiser Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center in the Director's Corner Blog!