GlobalLab Team

A renown educational theorist specializing in inquiry-based pedagogy and telecollaborative learning communities, Boris came to the United States from the former Soviet Union in 1990 to work at TERC, a leader in K-12 math and science education research. There, he worked on the development of the initial version of Global Lab to realize the vision of a virtual global laboratory where students could jointly explore science. While at TERC, Boris was also co-principal investigator of GLOBE, a project initiated by then U.S. Vice President Al Gore to bridge scientists and science classrooms by using global environmental data collection. 

In 1997 Boris became the Director of the International Center at Concord Consortium where he co-founded the ASTL Task Force (Art, Science and Technology of Learning) supported by the United Nations Development Program.  He also consulted for IBM Latin America, The World Bank, UNESCO, and the European Commission among many others, and has been inducted as a fellow into the World Technology Network.  To build molecular literacy in students, Boris and his colleagues at the Concord Consortium developed the award-winning Molecular Workbench, a state-of-the-art molecular modeling application for classroom use.

Elena’s diverse background makes her ideal for overseeing Global Lab. For years, she harnessed her outstanding communications and interpersonal skills to train Russian teachers in technologies and telecollaborative pedagogy. She is trained as a radio and electronic engineer, gaining a substantial knowledge of mathematics and computer science before she earned a Ph.D in philosophy. Her love of travel led her to start a business called the Club of Intellectual Tourism, which caters to Russian scientists and academics wanting to visit such scholarly sites as Egypt’s pyramids. Elena manages the coordination of all Global Lab schools.

An accomplished educator and biologist, Sergei Lovyagin is one of the leading developers of the materials used by Global Lab Russia, including much of the teacher’s manual, students’ journal, and tutorials. A graduate of Moscow State University, he has created ecology, life science, and Earth science programs and authored acclaimed books for students on topics ranging from botany, law, and zoology to the science of knots and drawing with pen and ink. Sergio is an avid nature lover and photographer, and when not working in his office, he photographs the beauty and wonders he finds in forests and fields. Many of his photographs are used to illustrate Global Lab materials.

Dr. Barbara Tinker has engaged in education for many years, convinced that communication between children and their understanding of nature will make the world a better place. At TERC, she worked with Dr. Boris Berenfeld to develop Global Lab and facilitate its online community of teachers and students. She was also a curriculum developer for the GLOBE project, a partnership of scientists and students that U.S. Vice President Al Gore initiated and for which Boris was a co-principal investigator. At Concord Consortium since 1997, she continued to work with Boris by serving as a project manager and curriculum designer to help develop the award-winning Molecular Workbench, a state-of-the-art molecular modeling application for students.

Yulia graduated from the Computer Science Department at Moscow Technical University after completing her dissertation on the development of a simulation model for parallel multicomputer systems. Providing Global Lab’s technical support, she ensures that the project’s online technologies support its learning goals and function smoothly and easily.  

A student of the Faculty of global processes at Moscow State University with a specialization in the global economy and management, Polina provides technical support for Global Lab.

A graduate of the University of Moscow’s Institute of Asian and African Studies, one of the world’s most prestigious linguistics institutions, Ksanna is fluent in Russian, English, and Mandarin Chinese and is completing her Ph.D in Chinese studies. She also focuses on the education of children with special learning needs. Ksanna coordinates the development of Global Lab’s web sites and its educational materials.

A graduate of Moscow State University, Boris specialized in cartographic design and has worked as a graphic designer for a number of Russian and European publishers. He has substantial experience in providing graphic design for K-12 curriculum as well as literature that popularizes science. In recent years, his artistic interests in logo and screen design earned him international fame. Versed in Russian, German, and English, Boris brings a lucid and creative visual style to all of Global Lab’s online and print components.

A veteran of Global Lab, Paul created the first version of Global Lab’s web site in Russia and will further develop the project’s online presence as Global Lab expands to include schools outside of Russia.