Dr. Lynn D. Dierking is Sea Grant Professor in Free-Choice Learning at Oregon State University and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Learning Innovation. Dr. Dierking is internationally recognized for her research on the behavior and learning of children and families in free-choice learning settings and the development and evaluation of community-based efforts and has published extensively in these areas. Currently she and a colleague at the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia are collaborating on a NSF-funded research project investigating the long-term impact of gender-focused free-choice learning experiences on girls' interest, engagement, and involvement in science communities, careers and hobbies. She received her Ph.D. in Science Education at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and has worked in a variety of educational settings, including museums, schools, community-based organizations and universities. She serves on the Editorial Boards of Science Education and the Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship and has been an advisor for several National Research Council efforts.