Hui-Hui Wang
Associate Professor
Agriculture Education,
Curriculum and Instruction
Email:
huiwang@purdue.edu
Phone:
(765) 494-6897
Address:
Lilly Hall of Life Sciences
915 Mitch Daniels Blvd
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2098LILY 3-102
Links:
College of Agriculture BoilerSteamAbout
Dr. Hui-Hui Wang is a seasoned expert in STEM education, with extensive experience as both a researcher and practitioner. From 2012 to 2015, she served as a STEM specialist at the Center for Youth Development, where she managed Minnesota 4-H STEM programs. In collaboration with her colleagues, she developed innovative STEM programs and evaluation plans, including Engineering It, Robotics, and Pollinator and Habitat, to ignite 4-H youth’s interest in STEM learning and careers. Dr. Wang’s research is dedicated to fostering agricultural and scientific literacy among global citizens. She has led and supported numerous research projects aimed at improving instructional and assessment practices, driving systemic change, and advancing leadership development. Her passion lies in equipping youth to meet workforce needs in agricultural, food, and natural resources (AFNR) through STEM integration, scientific reasoning, data-driven decision-making, and inquiry-based, project-based learning. Additionally, Dr. Wang collaborates with the multistate research coordinating committee and information exchange group focused on the Food, Water, and Energy Nexus (FEW Nexus). This interdisciplinary initiative seeks to enhance systemic education and outreach efforts grounded in the FEW Nexus.
Education
- Ph.D. — Curriculum and Instruction in Science Education, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (2012)
- M.A. — Environmental Education, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR (2005)
Awards & Honors
- 2025 Foster Award, Purdue University
- 2023 Distinguished Research Award, North Central the American Association for Agricultural Education
- 2022 23 PAIR (Promising Achievers in Innovation and Research), BioCrossroads.
- 2021 Distinguished Early Career Member, American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE).
- 2020 Early Career (Young Member) Award, North Central the American Association for Agricultural Education (NC-AAAE)
- 2019 Excellence in Research Award, Purdue University
- 2019 Teaching Leadership Award, Purdue University
- 2018 Scholarship of Engagement Fellows Program
- 2018 PK-12 Outreach and Engagement for Emerging Faculty Impact Award
- 2016 Purdue Cooperative Extension Specialists’ Association (PUCESA) Leadership Scholarship Award
- 2015 REVERE award (Pre K-12 Learning), Category: Magazines – Feature Article, Association of American Publishers
Professional Appointments
- Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Science Education and Communication (75%) and Department of Curriculum and Instruction (25%), Purdue University, 2021-Current.
The Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST), Affiliate. - Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication (75%) and Department of Curriculum and Instruction (25%), Purdue University, 2015-2021
The Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST), Affiliate. - Assistant Professor (Non-Tenure Track), Center for Youth Development, University of Minnesota, 2012-2015
Professional Affiliations/Memberships
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)
- American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE)
- Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Research & Publications
Dr. Hui-Hui Wang’s research focus on STEM integration through Agriculture, Food, and Nature Resources (AFNR). STEM integration through AFNR is ensure that STEM knowledge is taught as an AFNR interdisciplinary approach, by using authentic teaching strategies, such as inquiry-based and project-based instruction. Her current research project focuses on K-12 teacher education and cognitive bases of STEM learning (e.g. STEM reasoning), and building a sustainable integrated STEM through AFNR teaching and learning model.
Selected Publications
- Wang, H. H., Knobloch, N. A., Nelson, B. J., Thies, L. J. (2025). Exploring Interdisciplinary Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Teaching Energy by Using Food Systems. Education Sciences, 15(3), 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030318
- Zhou, S., Dong, Z, Wang, H. H., & Chiu, M. M. (2024). A Meta-analysis of STEM Integration on Student Academic Achievement. Research in Science Education, 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-024-10216-y
- Wang, H. H., & Odom, S. R. (2024). Psychology of Learning. In S. M. Whittington, J. F. Elliot, & R. Rudd (Eds). Powerful Teaching: 4 Keys to Dynamic Learning Environments. https://pressbooks.lib.vt.edu/teachagriculture/chapter/psychology-of-learning/
- Wang, H. H., & Knobloch, N. A., (2023). K-12 teachers’ beliefs and practices in STEM integration (p. 251-259). In: Tierney, R.J., Rizvi, F., Erkican, K. (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education, vol. 11. Elsevier. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818630-5.13070-2
- Wang, H. H., & Knobloch, N. A. (2022). Preservice educators’ interpretations and pedagogical benefits of a STEM integration through agriculture, food and natural resources rubric. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 6(2), 4-28. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.202213513
- Wang, H. H., & Knobloch, N. A. (2020). Preservice informal educators’ beliefs and practices of teaching STEM through AFNR. Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(2), 57-76. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2020.02057
- Wang, H. H., Charoenmuang, M., Knobloch, N. A., & Tormoehlen, R. L. (2020). Defining interdisciplinary collaboration at high school settings through teachers’ beliefs and practices of STEM integration by using a complex designed system. International Journal of STEM Education, 7:3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-019-0201-4
- Wang, H. H., Bhattacharya, D., & Nelson, B. (2019). Secondary agriculture teachers’ knowledge, beliefs and teaching practices of climate change. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2019.1699126
- Wang, H. H. (2019). Examining patterns in teacher-student classroom conversation during STEM lessons. Journal for STEM Education Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41979-019-00022-
Current Grants & Funded Research
- AgSEED Purdue University: Preparing Scientifically Literate Learners through A Citizen Detective Program: A Flipped Classroom Approach
Duration of funding
1 years (2023-2024) - Purdue Polytechnic High School Research Project, Purdue University: Integrating STEM through food system incubation design challenges
Duration of funding
1 year (2021-2022) - USDA NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL). Industry-Driven Integrated STEM and Systems Approach to Innovative incubation (IN-VISION)
Duration of funding
3 years (2020-2023) - NSF INFEWS RCN: Cultivating a national collaborative for research on food, energy, and water education
Duration of funding
5 years (2019-2023)
Courses Typically Taught
- ASEC 54500/EDCI 54501 (CRN 13765) Teaching STEM through Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
- ASEC 64400 (CRN 52588) Graduate Student Seminar
- EDCI 55800 (CRN 18418) Methods of Integrated STEM Education
- ASEC 59100 (CRN 18007) Conducting and Writing a Literature Review in the Social Sciences