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Sparked by an interest in the natural world, Nancy Kellogg’s scientific curiosity began early on her family’s Colorado ranch. That love of learning led to a lifelong career in and passion for science education with no signs of stopping any time soon.  

With more than 50 years of service to her name, Kellogg was recognized this year with the National Science Teachers Association’s Distinguished Service to Science Education Award. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the world’s largest organization committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning, created the award to recognize educators and NSTA members who have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of education in the sciences and science teaching over a significant period of time.

Kellogg is a two-time CU Boulder School of Education alumna receiving her BA in biology with education in 1966 and PhD in science education in 1980, and she describes her lifelong education career as “an adventure of curiosity, passion for science, and love of learning, innovation, collaboration, and empowerment of students and teachers.” 

From her early education in a Colorado country school and small rural high school, Kellogg became an advocate for rural education and supporter for rural science teachers. Her CU Boulder education would take her into Colorado schools as a high school biology teacher and experiential education program developer/teacher and eventually, international as a university professor with the women’s medical faculty in Saudi Arabia before returning to Colorado in 1983. She worked as a district science specialist and on state grant-funded initiatives, where she led in rural and urban schools’ standards-based reform and K-16 sustained science professional development initiatives. Kellogg dedicated many years to analyzing assessments and making sure they were fair, equitable and truly matched the intention of the standard.

“I’ve always been driven to improve science education for all students, provide opportunities for teachers, and not accept the status quo,” she said. “Through peer collaboration and other diverse opportunities, I’ve had the privilege of being involved in many service experiences at the school, district, Colorado, national and international levels.”

While technically retired today, Kellogg continues to give back to the science education community and engages in various opportunities to contribute and keep learning. She is on the steering committee of the Colorado Science Education Network, an influential and growing professional network of science leaders from schools, districts, higher education, university research, and the business world that she co-founded in the 1990s. Additionally, Kellogg remains involved in NSTA. Most recently, she traveled to England with the NSTA president to present on next generation science teaching at the United Kingdom’s largest science education conference, and she served on the panel that developed a position statement on teaching of climate science that was adopted by the NSTA Board in 2018. She continues to be actively engaged with the National Science Education Leadership Association, where she currently serves as the awards chair and has held several board positions including president. 

“Dr. Nancy Kellogg is and continues to be a visionary in science education,” said Linda Block-Gandy and Sharon Sikora, her NSTA award nominators. “Each of her achievements reflects the true desire, humility and heart of an individual that has dedicated her life’s work to making a difference for teachers and students alike in science.”