{"id":3663,"date":"2021-08-30T15:01:46","date_gmt":"2021-08-30T19:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/?page_id=3663"},"modified":"2026-06-01T18:11:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T22:11:59","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_tour title_tag=”h1″ style=”modern” active_section=”1″ title=”Our Team”][vc_tta_section title=”Ren\u00e9e Lyons, Ph.D.” tab_id=”1709829695342-c0ed886d-aaed”]

\"RL<\/span><\/div>

Executive Director of Science Outreach<\/h2>

Ren\u00e9e Lyons earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction of science education from Clemson University in 2017. She taught K\u201312 science for eight years, both internationally and in Upstate South Carolina, and later served as the high school science lead for the South Carolina Department of Education. In her current role as Director of the Science Outreach Center, Ren\u00e9e designs and leads STEM programming for K\u201312 youth that sparks curiosity, introduces students to STEM careers, and provides hands-on experiences with scientific tools and technology they may not encounter in their classrooms. She develops labs and activities aligned with South Carolina\u2019s state science standards, ensuring Science Outreach Center programming complements and supports the work of K\u201312 teachers across the state. Drawing on her classroom and state-level leadership experience, she also provides professional development for teachers, modeling lessons and strategies that help educators successfully implement the three-dimensional science standards in their own classrooms.<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Graham Temples, Ph.D.” tab_id=”1767985894112-5fdf2d36-2cf3″]
\"graham<\/span><\/div>

CU Science Outreach Center Associate Director<\/h2>

Graham Temples has been a lifelong Clemson Tiger: going to football games in elementary school, attending the Summer Scholar program in middle school, taking DNA classes in the very same room he now teaches at CU-SOC in high school, participating in Eureka! summer research program prior to graduating summa cum laude with a BS in Biological Sciences from the Honors college, all before going on to complete a PhD in Bioengineering at Clemson University! Graham has founded local companies and lead cutting edge research for South Carolina grown biotech startups and now holds 2 granted patents with 11 pending. Teaching has always been a passion for Graham, and he is excited to inspire students of all ages to seek a career in science and share all that Clemson and the world has to offer!<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Amy Z. Smith, MAT” tab_id=”1750689740857-23468e3f-6ca3″]
\"amy2\"<\/span><\/div>

CU Science Outreach Center STEM Specialist<\/h2>

Amy Smith is a native Clemsonian who earned her Master’s in the Art of Teaching from Anderson University.\u00a0 She taught at AJ Whittenberg School of Engineering in Greenville County, 5th<\/sup>\u00a0grade science & social studies at Liberty Elementary in Pickens County, and 5th-8th grades: Zoology, Human Body, and Physical Science for a local homeschool co-op. Amy has a passion for making science and engineering come alive for students and refuses to be boring and represent science well. She is unapologetically addicted to Legos and Dr. Pepper, loves her family, and is very excited to be in her dream job at Clemson!<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Donna Scruggs-Buss, M.S.” tab_id=”1709830604660-8e129ba5-af13″]
\"donna<\/span><\/div>

CU Science Outreach Center Program Coordinator<\/h2>

Hello! I\u2019m Donna Buss, and I\u2019m delighted to serve as the Program Coordinator for the Clemson University Science Outreach Center. Let me share a bit about my journey and passion. I began at Clemson University Summer Scholars in 2020, and since then, I\u2019ve been wholeheartedly dedicated to fostering scientific curiosity and engagement for youth. I joined the Science Outreach Center in 2024. As a master\u2019s graduate in Clemson University Youth Development Leadership, I bring a wealth of experience to this role. My professional journey has been varied\u2014I\u2019ve worn many hats! From being a camp counselor to a public-school teacher, a trainer, a preschool director, and an office manager, I\u2019ve immersed myself in various educational settings. But above all, I cherish my role as a family member. Speaking of family, I\u2019m a proud parent of two wonderful girls\u2014Harper and Ainsley. And my husband, Michael, has been my partner in life\u2019s adventures for over 30 years! Life has a way of leading us to unexpected places, and I\u2019m thrilled that it guided me to Clemson. The Science Outreach Center here is brimming with exciting opportunities, and I can\u2019t wait to explore them alongside you all.<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tour][vc_tta_tour style=”modern” active_section=”1″ title=”Our Mission, Vision & Goals”][vc_tta_section title=”Mission” tab_id=”1709835894741-c15fe011-1732″]
\"seedling\"<\/span><\/div>

<\/h2>

The Clemson University Science Outreach Center fosters curiosity, ignites passion, and cultivates scientific literacy. Through dynamic hands-on experiences, engaging discussions, and collaborative partnerships, we empower learners of all ages to explore the wonders of science.<\/em><\/p>\n

At the\u00a0Clemson University Science Outreach Center, we believe that true learning happens when we step outside our comfort zones. Just as a seedling pushes through the soil to reach the sunlight, growth occurs when we embrace discomfort. We encourage learners of all ages to explore the wonders of science, not only in the safety of familiar spaces, but also in the uncharted territory of the \u2018challenge zone.\u2019 It\u2019s in this space that resilience is built, creativity flourishes, and new horizons unfold.<\/em><\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Vision” tab_id=”1709835894757-de0da89d-b508″]
\"soc<\/span><\/div>

<\/h2>

The Clemson University Science Outreach Center’s vision is to be a guiding light of scientific curiosity, seamlessly connecting science with the vibrant communities we inhabit. We aim to address real-world challenges through scientific inquiry and ignite inspiration, fostering a future where everyone embraces their inner scientist regardless of age or background.<\/em><\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Goals” tab_id=”1709835894772-1be164e9-4fc9″]
\"ripple<\/span><\/div>

<\/h2>

<\/p>\n

Expand Reach<\/span><\/b><\/em>: Increase participation in science programs by 20% by 2029.<\/span><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n

Comprehensive Engagement<\/span><\/b><\/em>: Collaborate with under-resourced communities to ensure ease of access.<\/span><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n

Innovative Offerings<\/span><\/b><\/em>: Introduce new STEM experiences.<\/span><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n

Educator Support<\/span><\/b><\/em>: Enhance professional development opportunities for classroom teachers.<\/span><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n

Impact Measurement<\/span><\/b><\/em>: Regularly assess the impact of our programs through feedback and metrics.<\/span><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p><\/div>

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tour][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_tour title_tag=”h1″ style=”modern” active_section=”1″ title=”Our Team”][vc_tta_section title=”Ren\u00e9e Lyons, Ph.D.” tab_id=”1709829695342-c0ed886d-aaed”][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Graham Temples, Ph.D.” tab_id=”1767985894112-5fdf2d36-2cf3″][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Amy Z. Smith, MAT” tab_id=”1750689740857-23468e3f-6ca3″][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Donna Scruggs-Buss, M.S.” tab_id=”1709830604660-8e129ba5-af13″][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tour][vc_tta_tour style=”modern” active_section=”1″ title=”Our Mission, Vision & Goals”][vc_tta_section title=”Mission” tab_id=”1709835894741-c15fe011-1732″][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Vision” tab_id=”1709835894757-de0da89d-b508″][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Goals” tab_id=”1709835894772-1be164e9-4fc9″][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tour][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-3663","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3663"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4308,"href":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3663\/revisions\/4308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceweb.clemson.edu\/cusoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}