Kirsten R. Daehler serves as Director of the Understanding Science™ for Teaching project, which has reached thousands of teachers and staff developers across the country, impacting hundreds of thousands of students.

Daehler's primary goal? Transform the way teachers learn about science and the complex art of teaching. Understanding Science for Teaching is helping to achieve that goal.

The project combines existing education research with knowledge of practicing teachers, staff developers, and scientists to collaboratively develop and refine professional development experiences for science teachers and staff developers.

The comprehensive Making Sense of SCIENCE professional development series was born out of the Understanding Science for Teaching work. Daehler oversees the development of Making Sense of SCIENCE courses, which combine in-depth science learning with a focus on classroom practice and pedagogical reasoning.

After joining WestEd in 1994, Daehler served as the lead teacher developer and content expert for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

She began her work in science education as a high school chemistry and physics teacher and department chair.

Daehler received a BA in chemistry from Wellesley College and an MA in secondary education from San Francisco State University.