Denfeld science teacher Allison Wood wins 2025–26 Fulbright Distinguished Award to study citizen science in Greece

Assistant Superintendent Bonds announced at the Duluth School District October business meeting that Denfeld High School science teacher Allison Wood received a 2025–26 Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Research, a competitive fellowship sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

The award will fund Wood’s research in Greece from February through June 2026 on how schools in Athens and elsewhere in the country integrate citizen science and outdoor data collection into K–12 curriculum. Wood told the school board she plans to use the experience to develop professional development for Duluth teachers and to create classroom activities that pair data collection with state standards.

The fellowship is limited in number: Bonds said Wood was 1 of only 14 K–12 educators selected for the program this year. Wood described “citizen science” as student and community participation in data collection using tools such as the iNaturalist and Merlin apps and said European schools already use shared citizen-science platforms that let scientists and educators review and analyze observations. She said she hopes to connect Duluth classrooms with Greek classrooms “so that classrooms at the same time could be doing similar experiences and communicate data in between.”

Wood said she is coordinating with faculty at the University of Athens; one faculty member there who publishes on the subject will serve as her mentor. She noted that visiting European schools may offer models for fitting outdoor work into shorter school days overseas. At the meeting she also asked district staff and board members for help clarifying leave and reemployment rules for short-term professional exchange experiences.

Assistant Superintendent Bonds and Superintendent Magus praised Wood and described plans to support teacher learning from the experience. Bonds and board members discussed logistics such as required permission from Greek school principals and the Greek Ministry of Education for in-school visits and asked Wood to work with district staff on any necessary documentation so materials can be shared with teachers and students while she is overseas.

Wood invited colleagues to participate in aspects of the project and said she hopes to make lessons and data accessible for students back in Duluth. The district said it will follow up on details about how classroom connections and photo permissions will be managed during her fellowship.