SAMANTHA DUCHSCHERER
STARBASE DIRECTOR, EDWARDS AFB
Dr. Samantha L. Duchscherer serves as the Chief of STEM Integration & T3, 412th Test Wing, Plans and Programs, Edwards Air Force Base, California. Dr. Duchscherer oversees the Test Wing’s STEM educational support programs, including STARBASE and the Air Force STEM program. Dr. Duchscherer also stewards many of the Test Wing’s T3 (Technology Transfer and Transition program) documents, including Educational Partnering Agreements.
STARBASE is a premiere STEM focused educational program, sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. STARBASE is a rigorous 25-hour, five-day, instructional program (Monday-Friday, 9A-2P) that provides world class STEM instruction for socio-economically disadvantaged fifth grade students in the Antelope Valley region. The STARBASE program on Edwards serves over 5200 square miles across the Antelope Valley and has a total student reach of roughly 54,000 students. At STARBASE Edwards, we provide students from 8 surrounding school districts with the opportunity to visit military-civilian facilities, engage with STEAM community leaders, and explore the STEAM field in a fun and engaging way.
Dr. Duchscherer’s prior assignments include Director of STARBASE Edwards, Project Lead the Way Grant Manager/ Statewide STEM Team Specialist at the Arkansas Department of Education, Instructional Technology Coordinator at the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District, Instructional Technology Coach at Lexington Traditional Magnet School, and multiple teaching positions across English, Social Studies, and Multimedia Production courses. Simultaneously she was consulting on educational technology and leadership topics across the USA, with large firms like Google, EdTechTeam, FriedTech, and her own firm (Techforyall). She holds a Doctorate in Educational Technology (with her dissertation focusing on content connected, NGSS based, STEM makerspace lesson design), an Educational Specialist Degree in Instructional Leadership, a Master’s in Education, and a Bachelor’s From CSU Chico in English Education. She also holds teaching credentials for District Administration, Building Administration, Instructional Technology, English Teaching 6-12th Grade, and Computer Science in Kentucky and Arkansas.
EDUCATION
2022 Doctorate of Educational Technology (Morehead University, Morehead, KY)
2022 Educational Specialist Degree in Instructional Leadership (Morehead University, Morehead, KY)
2021 Kentucky Professional Certificate for Instructional Leadership, Supervisor (Kentucky Department of Education)
2021 Kentucky Professional Certificate for Instructional Leadership, Principal (Kentucky Department of Education)
2020 Microsoft Innovative Educational Expert, Microsoft, Redmond, Washington
2019 Arkansas Curriculum and Program Administration License (Arkansas Department of Education)
