Cynthia Canan, PhD is an Assistant Professor and the State 4-H STEM Specialist in the Department of Extension, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University. She earned her PhD in Biomedical Research with an emphasis in Immunology. Prior to her current position, she worked as a lecturer in the College of Pharmacy and served as the Director of the Generation Rx Laboratory, a drug education research lab located within COSI (Center of Science and Industry), a science museum in downtown Columbus. As the current STEM Specialist, she provides overall leadership and framework for Ohio 4-H STEM education, as well as supports county programming through the development of resources and connections between the university and communities. Her passion for public outreach and science communication has led her to her current research interest in the development and assessment of in-person and online informal STEM programs and their impact on participants and the local ecosystem. Her dream goal is to make evidence-based STEM education accessible to all youth, regardless of their background and circumstances, as STEM education can provide youth with the skills and knowledge that will help them to thrive and transform society with novel and sustainable solutions.