Janelle Johnson, Ph.D., serves as the director of the Colorado STEM Ecosystem 2.0 and is a professor of STEM education at the Metropolitan State University of Denver.  

Her primary focus is advancing interdisciplinary and inclusive STEM teaching and learning through professional development that addresses educational and workforce opportunity gaps. She works with educators and STEM providers to develop nondeficit approaches that center learners who have historically been less engaged in STEM. 

Johnson has served as principal investigator on four National Science Foundation grants, led NSF-funded STEM bootcamps for the NASA-supported GLOBE Program, and consulted for NASA’s Langley Research Center. 

Johnson earned her doctorate in STEM education from the University of Arizona and currently leads the development of Reciprocal Integrated Learning Ecosystems, an open-source platform supported by Colorado’s Statewide Internet Portal Authority. Her work continues to strengthen connections among educators, organizations, and communities to expand access to STEM learning opportunities.