Jennifer Kinser-Traut

Dr. Jen Kinser-Traut is a dedicated educator with extensive experience in mathematics education and teacher professional development. She currently serves as the Program Coordinator for the Astronomical Software Engineering Internship at TIMESTEP, which provides undergraduate students studying astronomy and/or physics opportunities to build technical and professional skills. 

With over a decade of experience as a high school math educator, Jen transitioned into higher education, earning a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education. She has held roles such as Visiting Assistant Professor at New York University and was the Founding Director of the Tucson Regional Educator Collaborative (TREC). At TREC, she led efforts to support professional learning opportunities for educators across Southern Arizona, aiming to increase teacher retention and build a thriving teaching profession in the region. These efforts included co-developing a one-stop shop website for teacher professional development resources, co-developing a teacher leader program, and creating communities of practice for educators to learn and implement new classroom practices.  

In her new role with TIMESTEP, Jen is developing and coordinating the new Astronomical Software Engineering Internship—collaborating with industry partners and supporting student mentoring structures to assist interns in pursuing career exploration and development. This work bridges the gap between education and industry, providing students with valuable experiences that enhance their academic and professional growth.  

When not working for TIMESTEP, Jen loves family movie night, watching her children’s sporting events, reading, gardening, hiking, traveling, cooking, and teaching yoga.