Willamette University

About Willamette University

Julie Gess-Newsome

Julie Gess-Newsome

Julie Gess-Newsome was appointed dean of the Graduate School of Education in June of 2011. Prior to joining Willamette, Gess-Newsome served as the J. Lawrence Walkup Distinguished Professor of Science Education and director of the Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Northern Arizona University (NAU).  Gess-Newsome earned her doctorate in science education at Oregon State University, her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at University of Northern Colorado, and her bachelor’s in secondary education at Northland College.

Gess-Newsome has 20 years of experience in higher education as a teacher, researcher and administrator. Under her leadership as center director at Northern Arizona, the NAUTeach program was established to increase the number of secondary science and mathematics teachers in the state. She also taught at Oregon State University and University of Utah, where she earned the 1997 Teacher of Year Award and served as chair of secondary education, director of teacher certification and interim chair for the Department of Educational Studies.

Gess-Newsome has authored or co-authored several books about teaching science, including “Reforming Secondary Science Instruction,” which won a 2010 Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers.