Dr. Wren Walker Robbins
Faculty/Dept. Chair, Secondary Education
Stevenson Rm. 130
(406) 275-4780
- Ph.D., The University of New Mexico
- M.S., The University of New Mexico
- B.S., Montana State University, Billings
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Wren is a Two-spirit woman who has spent most of her career as a college faculty member working with underrepresented students from different cultural backgrounds in New Mexico, New York, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Her earliest work was in biomedical research, she holds a Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of New Mexico, and has completed research fellowships at Harvard Medical School and The University of New Mexico Medical School.
She is an AISES Sequoyah Fellow and former president of the North Star AISES Professional Chapter. She is a science educator who has worked extensively in tribal communities in Minnesota and North Dakota, and helped establish the Native Ways of Knowing Secondary Science Program at Turtle Mountain Tribal Community College. At SKC, Dr. Wren oversees both the Broadfield Science and Mathematics secondary education degree programs.
Wren is fascinated by the process and art of science education itself. She works to help pre-service teachers and teachers explore and conceptualize the role culture plays in science education in order to help students from diverse backgrounds bridge cultural borders so they excel in science. From her own journey, she knows it is possible.
In 2022, Wren was awarded the Ely S. Parker Award from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. In its 39th year, this award is the highest professional honor that AISES confers and is awarded to individuals like Dr. Walker Robbins whose life’s work embodies advancement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields and creates opportunities for others in the Indigenous STEM community through education, mentorship, and leadership.