Renee Clary | Educational Research | Innovative Research Award

Published on by Top Teachers

Innovative Research Award

Renee Clary — Professor of Geology and Director of the Dunn-Seiler Museum, Mississippi State University

Renee Clary
Affiliation Mississippi State University
Country United States
Scopus ID 12808367300
Documents 59
Citations 336
h-index 10
Subject Area Educational Research
Event Top Teachers Awards
ORCID 0000-0003-4066-8366

Dr. Renee Clary is a Professor of Geosciences and Director of the Dunn-Seiler Museum at Mississippi State University, where her work centers on geoscience education, visualization, history and philosophy of geology, paleobiology, and environmental geochemistry. Her research integrates geological and biological knowledge across formal, online, and informal learning environments and has been disseminated through scholarly publications, professional presentations, museum activities, and field-based education. Her documented scholarly profile includes 59 Scopus-indexed documents, 336 citations, and an h-index of 10.[1]

Abstract

Renee Clary is a geoscience educator and researcher whose scholarship connects Earth science, biological knowledge, visualization, history of science, paleontology, environmental geochemistry, and educational practice. At Mississippi State University, she has combined university teaching, museum leadership, field-based learning, online instruction, and research supervision. Her publication and editorial activities address the design of meaningful geoscience learning experiences, geoheritage, visualization, paleontological interpretation, and innovative approaches to science education.[1][2]

Keywords

Geoscience education; science education; educational research; geology; paleontology; paleobiology; geoheritage; scientific visualization; history of geology; environmental geochemistry; online learning; informal education; field-based learning.

Introduction

Dr. Renee Clary has developed an interdisciplinary academic career at the intersection of geoscience and education. She is a Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Mississippi State University and has served as Director of the Dunn-Seiler Museum. Her academic training includes a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Science Education from Louisiana State University, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and an M.S. in Geology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and a B.S. in Chemistry from the same institution.

Her research emphasizes the ways geological knowledge can be communicated and learned through visual, historical, digital, field-based, museum, and community-oriented approaches. This orientation is reflected in her work on online science course design, local landscapes and geoheritage, community-college geoscience pathways, and virtual fossil specimens.[3][4]

Research Profile

Renee Clary’s research profile is primarily situated within geoscience education and related educational research. Her interests include geoscience education, the history and philosophy of geology, optimization of visualization techniques, Cretaceous paleobiology, and environmental geochemistry. She has also pursued research concerning online and informal learning environments, local geological landscapes, geoheritage, paleontological resources, and the development of pathways into geoscience education.

Her professional activities have included directing the 15 Degree Laboratory and EarthScholars Research Group, contributing to the MSU GeoViz Virtual Scanning Laboratory, supervising undergraduate and graduate research, and participating in national and international scientific and educational organizations. She has also held editorial responsibilities for Geological Society of London and Geological Society of America publications.[2]

Education and training. Her formal preparation includes a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, Science Education; an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Science Education; an M.S. in Geology; and a B.S. in Chemistry. Additional professional training has included scientific communication, academic writing, distance learning, geographic information systems, and scanning electron microscopy.

Academic experience. Since 2007, Clary has held faculty and museum leadership positions at Mississippi State University, progressing from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and Professor while serving as Director of the Dunn-Seiler Museum. Earlier appointments included faculty and instructional roles at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, and South Louisiana Community College, together with research and laboratory positions in industry and university settings.

Research Contributions

A principal contribution of Renee Clary’s scholarship is the integration of disciplinary geoscience with educational methodology. Her work considers how learners interpret geological and biological information and how visualization, historical context, local environments, field sites, museums, and digital resources can strengthen scientific understanding. This approach extends geoscience education beyond conventional classroom instruction and considers formal, online, and informal learning contexts.[2]

  • Development of research-informed approaches to geoscience and science education.
  • Investigation of visualization strategies for geological and biological learning.
  • Application of history and philosophy of geology to science understanding.
  • Research on paleobiology, paleontology, environmental geochemistry, and Cretaceous geological systems.
  • Use of museums, local landscapes, virtual specimens, and field settings as educational resources.
  • Development of educational pathways and community-college participation in geosciences.

Her recent work on online science course design examines the educational significance of sense of place, community, active learning, and local environments, demonstrating the continuing relevance of contextualized learning in online science instruction.[3] Her research on local Mississippi landscapes further considers geoheritage value and the educational benefits of incorporating local environments into college paleontology instruction.[4]

Publications

Renee Clary’s scholarly publication record encompasses research articles, book chapters, edited volumes, professional education literature, and contributions to geoscience history and geoheritage. Her recent publications address online science course design, local landscapes and geoheritage, community-college geoscience pathways, and virtual fossil specimens for informal educational outreach. These works demonstrate a continuing emphasis on connecting geoscientific content with accessible and evidence-informed learning environments.[3][4][5]

Her editorial record also includes service as editor of Geology’s Significant Sites and their Contributions to Geoheritage, Geological Society of London Special Publication 543, and editor of The Evolution of Paleontological Art, Geological Society of America Memoir 218. Her publication activity therefore spans both original research and scholarly curation within geoscience education, geological heritage, and the history and representation of Earth sciences.

Research Impact

The documented impact of Renee Clary’s work is reflected in her indexed scholarly record, educational leadership, professional service, editorial activity, and sustained involvement in geoscience organizations. Her Scopus profile records 59 documents, 336 citations, and an h-index of 10.[1] Her research has also been connected to broader educational initiatives involving online learning, community-college pathways, local geological environments, and virtual scientific specimens.[5]

Her professional recognition includes fellowship or leadership distinctions associated with organizations such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Geological Society of America, Geological Society of London, and Mississippi Academy of Sciences. Her 2025 recognition includes the Mary C. Rabbitt History and Philosophy of Geology Award and the Mississippi Science Teachers Association Distinguished Science Teacher Award, while her professional leadership includes service in national and international geoscience and science-teaching organizations.

Renee Clary’s recent research also addresses the evaluation of virtual fossil specimens in informal geoscience educational outreach. Such work illustrates the application of digital resources to science learning and public engagement and extends her broader research interest in visualization and accessible geoscience education.

Award Suitability

For an academic recognition such as the Innovative Research Award, Renee Clary’s profile presents a sustained record of research, teaching, educational innovation, professional service, and scholarly dissemination. Her work combines geoscience expertise with research in science education, visualization, digital learning, museums, field education, and geoheritage. Her indexed research record and extensive professional activities provide additional evidence of sustained engagement with the academic and educational communities.[1]

Particularly relevant to recognition for innovative research is the continuity between her scholarly interests and applied educational initiatives. Her work on online course design, community-college pathways, local landscapes, and virtual fossil specimens demonstrates research directed toward practical questions concerning how geoscience can be taught, visualized, contextualized, and experienced by diverse learners.[3][5]

Conclusion

Renee Clary’s academic profile combines geoscience research with sustained scholarship in science and geoscience education. Her work encompasses educational visualization, online and informal learning, paleontology, geoheritage, environmental geochemistry, and the history of geology. Together with her publication record, editorial responsibilities, research supervision, professional leadership, and indexed scholarly impact, these activities establish a substantial academic record relevant to research-focused recognition.

References

  1. Elsevier. (n.d.). Scopus author details: Renee Clary, Author ID 12808367300. Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/pages/authors/12808367300
  2. Mississippi State University. (n.d.). Renee Clary — Department of Geosciences faculty profile. Mississippi State University. https://www.geosciences.msstate.edu/directory/rclary
  3. Clary, R. M., Nagel, A. O., & Shows, E. (2026). Optimizing online science course design: Sense of place, community, active learning, and local environments. Journal of College Science Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1080/0047231X.2026.2710280
  4. Clary, R. M. (2024). Mississippi, USA’s local landscapes: Geoheritage value and educational benefits within college palaeontology classrooms. In Geological Society of London Special Publication. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP543-2022-277
  5. Mayo-Saalwaechter, A., Clary, R. M., Nagel, A. O., & Haney, C. (2026). A mixed-methods evaluation of virtual fossil specimens’ impact on informal geoscience educational outreach within middle-level classrooms. Journal of Geoscience Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2026.2663539