Kelly Hoke is a Researcher at Oregon State University’s STEM Research Center. She completed her Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies at Oregon State University, where her thesis work explored preschool play environments and their association with physical activity. Kelly’s background prior to graduate school includes over ten years in natural resource management, along with programming and professional development within the fields of science and environmental education. She earned her B.S. in Biology from Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Kelly’s research interests are at the nexus of human development and environmental influences, especially equitable access in children’s play and family leisure in outdoor/nature-based environments. She is interested in how human relationships within and with these spaces shape the life course.

Projects:

• Grounding Institutional Partnerships in Structures for Broader Impacts Design (BID) (2017-2022)
• interPLAY: Early Learners Developing STEM Skills through Play and Design (2020-2024)
• On-the-Spot Assessment to Improve Scientist Engagement with the Public (OTS) (2018-2021)
• U-FERN: Undergraduate Field Experiences Network (2017-2022)