Janna Pahnke, PhD, was a 2018-2020 Learning Sciences Exchange fellow at New America.
Sector: Policy
Project: Bunny to Bunny
Team Members: Megan McClelland (research), Catherine de Lange (journalism), Jill Shinderman (entertainment)
Pahnke is the scientific director and head of research and monitoring at Stiftung “Haus der kleinen Forscher” (Little Scientists’ House), a non-profit foundation based in Berlin focusing on early childhood education (ages of three and ten) in the domains of science, technology, computer science, and mathematics (STEM Education) and education for sustainable development (ESD) in Germany. Together with its local network partners, the initiative provides a nationwide continuous professional development program supporting about 81,000 educators and teachers from over 33,000 child care centres and primary schools in facilitating inquiry-based learning of young children (about 2.8 million children attend the participating institutions). At the foundation, Pahnke is responsible for the scientific basis of the program, for quality development, evaluations, and the coordination of external studies and advisory boards. She holds degrees in psychology and child development from the University of Tuebingen and Tufts University Boston, and a PhD in cognitive development from the University of Heidelberg. As a developmental psychologist working at the interface between research, policy, and practice, Pahnke is committed to improving children’s educational chances and personality development.