Tennessee STEM Education Center
Research Services
WHAT IS RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGEMENT?
WHAT WE OFFER
MEET THE TEAM
Aspen Malone joined the Tennessee STEM Education Center (TSEC) back in 2024 as Research Project Manager. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with a minor in Health Humanities from Abilene Christian University, and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at MTSU.
Danielle Davila joined the Tennessee STEM Education Center (TSEC) in February of 2026. She is a Project Coordinator for the STEM grants. She is a Mom of 3 girls, and has worked as a part time Rutherford County Public school substitute teacher since 2019.
Isabella (Izzie) Rushton has spent every summer since 2023 gaining valuable professional experience working at TSEC. She is currently a Project coordinator for the STEM grants. Izzie graduated in May 2026 with a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of South Carolina Honors College, and she is set to pursue her Ph.D. in organic chemistry at WashU in St. Louis this coming fall. Alongside her strong academic foundation, Through this work, she discovered a genuine passion for the creative aspects of project management, thoroughly enjoying the process of brainstorming future goals, diving into detailed project design, and flexing her graphic arts skills in Canva. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Izzie is an avid movie-goer who loves spending quality time with her family catching all the new summer releases in theaters.
ALUMNI
Alumni
Alex Ayala joined the Tennessee STEM Education Center (TSEC) in January 2026 as an Assistant Project Manager. He completed his final semester of the Mechatronics Engineering program at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and graduated in May 2026. He will continue at MTSU to pursue a Master of Business Administration.
IMPACT IN ACTION
“Aspen has been invaluable in ensuring the success of our team…keeps our team accountable and focused. Her optimism and calm presence create a positive atmosphere...our project would not be nearly as productive or enjoyable without her expertise and presence.”
– Dr. Sarah Bleiler-Baxter,
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
College of Basic and Applied Sciences
“…critical organizational and administrative support.”
– Dr. Ryan Seth Jones,
Associate Professor
College of Education
“…anticipating what is needed to keep us moving forward.”
– Dr. Keith Gamble,
Weatherford Chair of Finance
Department of Economics and Finance
Jones College of Business
“…to reduce my overall workload, offload many of the managerial tasks…innovate, improve it.”
– Dr. Grant Gardner,
Professor
Department of Biology
College of Basic and Applied Sciences
“revolutionized our productivity…”
– Dr. Deborah Lee,
Professor and NHC Chair of Excellence in Nursing
School of Nursing
College of Behavioral and Health Sciences
“…helped me juggle multiple responsibilities quite easily.”
– Dr. Kevin Krahenbuhl,
Director of Ed.D. Program
Professor
Womack Department of Educational Leadership
College of Education