General Information
Staff Profile
Robyn Wright Dunbar received a B.A. in geology from Trinity University in 1978. She earned an M.A. from Rice University in 1980, with a thesis focus on marine geology of Antarctica. During the course of her graduate work, Robyn participated in five Antarctic research cruises and holds the distinction of being one of the first two women to conduct Antarctic research aboard a U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker. By the time she received her Ph.D. from Rice in 1984 her research, her career, and her soul had shifted to the ancient rock record and the spectacular geology of the Four Corners area. Robyn was a faculty member at the University of New Mexico and at Rice University before her 1998 arrival at Stanford as Consulting Associate Professor of Geological and Environmental Sciences.
In 1999 Robyn joined Stanford’s Center for Teaching and Learning as its Assistant Director for Science and Engineering and in 2000 became CTL's Senior Associate Director. At CTL she consults with individual faculty and graduate students, as well as with academic departments, to support a variety of teaching and educational objectives. She is particularly active in promoting understanding about how people learn science and how to include inquiry-based science teaching practices in higher education. Robyn has received recognition for outstanding teaching as both a teaching assistant and as a faculty member. Although her lectures are typically heard by classes smaller than 25, she set her crowd record (>850!) when invited to give the Orientation Week Faculty Address, "Lentil Stew and Other Important Things on Rice," to the Rice University class of 2001.
Beyond traditional experiences in the undergraduate and graduate classroom, Robyn especially enjoys teaching and learning science in the field. She wholeheartedly endorses the idea of lifelong learning and taught for many years within the continuing studies program at Rice, and now at Stanford. An enthusiastic advocate for pre-college science education, she works to build partnerships between the university community and K-12 science teachers and students. Robyn leads professional development courses for K-12 teachers, has presented earth science workshops at national science meetings, and is co-founder and science curriculum director of an outdoor, integrated science camp for elementary and middle school youngsters and teachers in the Four Corners area.
Other Interesting Facts
On the personal side of things, Robyn enjoys time with her husband (and Stanford faculty member) Rob Dunbar, her two wonderful sons, and too many longhaired dogs and cats. She loves the mesa country, sports, gardening, and turning over rocks.