The Middle Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub is the center of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activity. Located in Murfreesboro at Middle Tennessee State University, we pride ourselves in creating relationships with local communities, school districts, post-secondary institutions and other organizations within the region that are dedicated to STEM learning. As we recognize that STEM is a crucial part of the development process for young learners, we hope to provide STEM teachers with professional development across the mid state area.
We aim to encourage students to engage and excel within STEM fields in hopes of preparing future graduates for STEM careers. With the help of our community partners, we are able to offer opportunities to both students and teachers for real-world work situations and experiences. High expectations and challenging problems have proven to enhance students’ ability to critically solve tasks at hand. While being dedicated to ensuring that every student and teachers’ needs are met, we provide a network of resources and ideas to our community.
In doing so, educators are able to get a clear understanding of the current workforce climate and make real-time decisions regarding their classroom instruction methods. STEM learning goes far beyond the classroom, as studies have proven a positive correlation to activities in the students’ lives. Students are able to internalize what they’ve been given through STEM learning and apply it. By utilizing several techniques and methodologies such as Project Based Learning (PBL), the Middle Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub hopes to redefine the education system.
Meet our Team
Kevin Ragland, PhD.
Director
Kevin Ragland is the Director of the Middle Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub and the Associate Director in the Tennessee STEM Education Center. Dr. Ragland joined MTSU from industry where he had spent the last six years as a Principal Scientist in pet nutrition. He has also previously spent over ten years in higher education teaching animal science and biology courses.
Dr. Ragland earned his B.S. in Animal Science from The University of Tennessee and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Breeding and Genetics from Iowa State University. His outreach and research interests include informal STEM education as well as STEM education in rural schools and 2-year colleges.
Gregory Rushton, PhD.
Faculty Advisor
Greg Rushton is the current Director at the TN STEM Education Center (TSEC) and a professor of chemistry at Middle TN State University, located just south of Nashville in Murfreesboro, TN. He has held previous faculty appointments at SUNY-Stony Brook on Long Island, and at Kennesaw State University, just north of Atlanta.
He earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Southern California, and his Master’s and Ph.D. at the ‘other’ USC in Columbia, South Carolina. His group has current projects in both K-12 STEM education and in higher education, which are funded by the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.