Biography
Heidi Gibson is the Manager of the Global Sustainability Series in the Curriculum, Digital Media, and Communications Division. Heidi joined the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) in 2020 to support the development of the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals community research guides. This followed her prior work as an SSEC Research Fellow helping to develop the structure of the guides and aligning it to ideas from socio-scientific, place-based, participatory action, civic, and global learning research. Heidi is passionate about engaging young people to realize their own power to transform the world. She published a book, From Ideas to Action: Transforming Learning to Inspire Action on Critical Global Issues, and has co-authored articles exploring the supports and educational shifts needed to help young people become a more central part of global sustainability efforts. Heidi has a MA in International Education and has held roles researching and directing global education programs. Diverse perspectives and experiences are exemplified by Heidi’s background which includes serving as a US Foreign Service Officer in China and Fiji, teaching experiential civics to middle and high school students in Washington, DC and Hawaii, and conducting lab research in Berlin and Baltimore while completing her Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She loves to travel to new places, grapple with new ideas, and learn new skills.