Thomas (Tom) Tretter is a professor of science education and the director of the Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Teacher Development (CRIMSTED), at the University of Louisville. He taught high school mathematics and science for 10 years prior to joining the U. of Louisville faculty in 2004. His passion for science education revolves around supporting students in making sense of natural phenomena – understanding how and why things happen, being able to plan and predict how to change things. His research focuses on preservice and inservice science teachers, the learning of their students, and the systems in which they function. He also engages in numerous projects in collaboration with university engineering faculty in studying how to strengthen the learning of engineering students at the postsecondary level. His work includes interacting with others in the science education community: classroom teachers, district administrators, state department of education, university science education faculty, and collaborators worldwide.