Rebecca Lipson earned a B.A in biology from Gustavus Adolphus College. She feels very fortunate to have had access to doing research as an undergrad, studying ecology in the forests of Minnesota. After a variety of post-baccalaureate life experiences, Rebecca found her calling in education, spending 8 years teaching middle school science, math, and special education in Tucson’s public schools. Before joining the Office of Societal Impact, Rebecca helped launch and grow UA Sky School as the Assistant Director of Education from 2013 to 2021. Having seen the positive impacts of engaging K-12 students in scientific inquiry and research, Rebecca is motivated to create accessible and equitable opportunities for UAZ students, both in and beyond the classroom via research, internships, mentorship, and personal growth. Her role in Societal Impact allows her to work on undergraduate research initiatives and the TIMESTEP program, which supports undergraduate success and retention primarily for astronomy and physics majors at UAZ. When not in front of a computer or in a classroom, Rebecca can be found gardening, hiking, camping, and just generally enjoying the outdoors with her family.