Dr. Caine
Hello, I'm Dr. Sheri Caine. I am in my 16th year teaching science at Community High School District 218. I studied Chemistry, Physics, and Secondary Education at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Then, I earned a Master's Degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne in Educational Psychology. Next, I earned a Certificate of Advanced Study in Science from the University of La Verne in California. Finally, I earned a Doctor of Philosophy from Texas Tech University in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus in Global Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education. I defended my dissertation, "Identifying High School Physics Students' Factors of Epistemological Cognition in Electricity Through Online Inquiry Simulations" on October 5, 2021.
Prior to earning my doctorate, I worked in the US Department of Energy's Academies Creating Teacher Scientists - Teachers as Research Associates Program at Argonne National Laboratory in imaging DNA-encapsulated single-walled carbon nanotubes using an atomic force microscope and an ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope. While in college, I researched the kinetics of the transesterification reaction of yellow grease into biodiesel, created the quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy parameters for identifying the amount of volatile esters from fermented yeast, and attempted to synthesize an enantioselective rhodium-based catalyst using Schlink techniques, distillations, and recrystallizations.
I am a member of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), Fermilab Friends for Science Education, the Illinois Science Teachers Association (ISTA), the Association for Multicultural Science Education (AMSE), American Educational Researchers Association (AERA), and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). I've previously presented at national AERA and NSTA conferences and I presented at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR) while in college. In addition to presenting at conferences, I have also won two national lesson planning competitions through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science & Education and won the NSTA Northrup Grumman Excellence in Engineering Education Award in 2018. Over my 15 years in the district, I have brought in more than $12,500 in grants to enrich my students' learning with better laboratory supplies and equipment.
In addition to teaching physics, AP Physics 1, and AP Physics 2, I work with a small number of students with the Exemplary Student Research Program at Argonne National Laboratory. Ten Richards students are participating in this program and will go to Argonne to use the Advanced Photon Source as a part of their original research project.
Outside of teaching, I enjoy spending time with my 7-year-old son, Corbin. I enjoy watching him wrestle and play football. I also enjoy playing video games, baking, making sublimation tumblers, 3D printing, and watching sports.
