Joanie Banks-Hunt

Dr. Joanie enjoyed the experiences of being an upper school math and engineering instructor at Menlo School for fourteen years, Honors College Professor at Virginia Tech University for several years, middle school math teacher, and administrator at the Wildwood School. She is having the time of her life as an Innovation Track Educator.

While at Menlo School, she participated in a research study, “Why are so few girls in high school advanced STEM courses?”  The outcome of the study resulted in a flagship program at Menlo School for girls in STEM.  She taught and mentored students enrolled in her math and engineering courses for over 14 years. She increased the diversity of students enrolled in the school’s advanced STEM courses as well as the diversity of applicants seeking admission to STEM programs in higher education. Joanie’s pedagogy and teaching methods in mathematics and engineering curricula build on practice and research interests in design thinking for knowledge construction. Her pedagogy integrates content, project-based learning, critical thinking, practice, differentiated instruction, and fun! 

Previously, Joanie spent 20 years working in Silicon Valley high tech after earning a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management at Stanford University. She completed her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Engineering Education and Cognition and Education at Virginia Tech University in 2020. She is in a documentary released in 2020 entitled, “Trailblazing Women in Engineering.” Joanie is a lifelong learner passionate about innovation, research, math, hands-on engineering, storytelling, and the arts (classical dance styles, chamber music, and musical theater).