Rosemary Logan

About

Dr. Rosemary Gale Logan is a Lecturer in the First Year Seminar Program and Sustainable Communities Program at Northern Arizona University, where she has been a faculty member since 2013. She holds a Ph.D. in Education for Sustainability from Prescott College and is a recognized leader in transformative sustainability education.

Research Interests

Sustainability Education

• Transformative learning experiences in sustainability education
• Education for sustainability curriculum development
• Integrative learning and sustainability pedagogies
• Community-based sustainability education models
• Experiential learning in environmental contexts

Community Engagement and Partnerships

• University-community partnerships for sustainability
• Community-based participatory learning
• Service learning and civic engagement
• Place-based education and bioregionalism
• Democratic education processes

Sustainable Food Systems

• Farm-to-school programs and garden-based education
• Permaculture education and design
• Food systems and food justice education
• Community gardens and agricultural education
• Traditional ecological knowledge integration

Transformative Learning

• Expeditionary learning models and outcomes
• Transformative learning theory and practice
• Student agency and engagement strategies
• Holistic education models
• Happiness and well-being in education

Education

• Ph.D. Education for Sustainability, Prescott College, Arizona (2013)
  • Dissertation: “Getting Smart to do Good: transformative learning experiences of Expeditionary Learning graduates”
• M.A. Sustainable Communities, Northern Arizona University (2005)
  • Thesis: “Quaker Education: a holistic model of education for sustainability”
• B.A. Biology, Earlham College, Indiana (2000)
  • Minor: Anthropology; Minor: Wilderness Leadership

Professional Experience

Academic Positions

• Lecturer, First Year Seminar Program & Sustainable Communities Program, NAU (2013-present)
• Associate Director, Global Learning Initiative, Center for International Education (2019-present)
• Instructor (Adjunct), Various programs, NAU (2012-2013)

Educational Leadership

• Faculty-led Study Abroad Program Director - Scotland and New Zealand programs
• Curriculum Developer - Multiple innovative courses and programs
• Community Partnership Coordinator - Extensive local engagement

Awards and Recognition

Teaching Excellence

• Northern Arizona University Sustainability Leadership Award (2019)
• Teacher of the Year Award, University College, NAU (2016)
• NAU Teaching Academy - Accepted member (2016)
• Sustainability Faculty of the Year Award, NAU Sustainability Program (2015)
• 21st Century Sustainability Educator Award, SEDI (2010)

Professional Recognition

• Highly meritorious rating - Every annual review for seven years
• Teacher of the Year Nominee, University College, NAU (2015)

Major Educational Innovations

First Year Seminar Courses

FYS 141: Farm to School (2013-2019)

• Over 100 K-6 students reached through weekly afterschool garden clubs
• Certified Flagstaff’s first school garden at Killip Elementary School
• Raised approximately $5,000 in funding for school garden programs
• National presentation at Green Schools Conference (2019)

FYS 121: Living the Good Life (2014-2019)

• Curated Museum of Northern Arizona’s first participatory children’s exhibit on happiness
• Increased family attendance substantially at the museum
• Paired with NAU residential Ecolearning Community for enhanced engagement

FYS 121: Growing Community (2015-2018)

• Revived Museum of Northern Arizona’s Colton Community Garden
• Led major fundraising efforts and long-term garden design
• Students raised funds selling produce at Flagstaff Farmer’s Market
• Popular annual holiday fair raising hundreds for garden support

Study Abroad Program Development

Sustainable Scotland Bridge Program (2016)

• NAU’s first Bridge Program for incoming first-year students
• 100% positive student feedback and retention success
• Risk management innovation for travel with minors
• University staff and faculty collaboration model

New Zealand Cultural Exchange Program (2019)

• Cross-cultural exchange with targeted recruitment of Native students
• Maori elder and Hopi permaculturist co-leadership
• Cultural immersion experiences including river trips and Marae stays
• Traditional Ecological Knowledge focus

Permaculture Education Leadership

Academic Integration

• NAU’s first academic year permaculture class (2019-2020)
• 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate program development
• Food forest installation at Museum of Northern Arizona
• Cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary guest speaker integration

Certification and Training

• Permaculture Teacher Training (2017)
• Permaculture Design Certificates (2012, 2019)
• Permaculture Institute of North America membership

Publications and Research

Academic Publications

• Logan, R. (2017). “Analyzer and Reviewer, Education for a Sustainable Future: Benchmarks for Individual and Social Learning Project.” Journal of Sustainability Education
• Logan, R. (2015). “How to Get the Discussions You Want.” Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy Proceedings
• Logan, R. (2013). “Getting Smart to do Good: transformative learning experiences of Expeditionary Learning graduates.” Prescott College Dissertation
• Logan, R. & Sutter, G. (2012). “Sustainability and museum education: What future are we educating for?” International Journal of the Inclusive Museum

Book Contributions

• Friederici, P. and Houk, R., Editors, A New Plateau: Sustaining the Lands and Peoples of Canyon Country (2004) - Contributing writer and photographer

Community Engagement and Service

Board Leadership

• Vice President, Flagstaff Foodlink Board (2015-2019)
• President of the Board, Foodlink (2008-2009)
• Co-chair, Flagstaff Youth Gardens Program (2006-2009)

Volunteer Leadership

• Program Manager, Colton Community Garden (2015-2018)
• Flagstaff Quaker Meeting - Adult education and Youth Committees
• Willowbend Environmental Education Center - Volunteer educator

Grant Success

• Flagstaff Community Foundation Grants - $15,500 total for youth gardens
• Arizona Game and Fish Heritage Grant - $9,800 for pollinator habitat
• Multiple smaller grants supporting educational initiatives

Professional Development and Certifications

Recent Professional Development

• Re-imagining Education and Learning - Mexico (2019) and Costa Rica (2017)
• Integrative Learning Faculty Learning Community, NAU (2015-2016)
• Association for Sustainability in Higher Education conferences
• Faculty Learning Communities National Institute (2014)

Certifications

• Wilderness First Responder
• CPR Health Care Provider
• Project Learning Tree Facilitator

Teaching Philosophy and Approach

Pedagogical Innovation

• “Getting smart to do good” - Philosophy connecting learning with service
• Action Learning Teams (ALTs) - Community engagement integration
• Democratic education processes - Inclusive, discussion-based environments
• Early and often feedback - Scaffolding and retention strategies
• Project-based learning - Real-world community partnerships

Student Success Strategies

• High retention rates - Consistently positive course evaluations
• Student agency building - Growth mindset development
• Community partnership integration - Service learning opportunities
• Cultural perspectives inclusion - Diverse voices and experiences

Current Research Focus

Dr. Logan’s ongoing work emphasizes:

• Transformative learning research - Understanding long-term impacts
• Community-based partnership models - Effective university-community collaboration
• Permaculture education integration - Academic and practical applications
• International educational exchange - Cross-cultural learning experiences

International Experience

Cross-cultural Education

• Maori Traditional Knowledge Scholar collaborations
• Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture Institute partnerships
• International sustainable communities study and documentation
• Cross-cultural curriculum development and implementation

Legacy and Impact

Dr. Logan’s career represents innovative integration of sustainability education with community engagement and transformative learning. Her work has:

• Reached hundreds of K-12 students through garden-based education
• Established lasting community partnerships for NAU
• Developed innovative curricula that continue to influence sustainability education
• Trained numerous students who carry forward sustainability values and practices
• Created models for university-community collaboration replicated elsewhere

Vision for Sustainability Education

Dr. Logan continues to advance:

• Transformative pedagogies that connect learning with action
• Community-university partnerships that benefit all stakeholders
• Integrative learning experiences that cross disciplinary boundaries
• Cultural exchange programs that broaden perspectives
• Sustainability leadership development for students and communities