Sue Allen is Director of Visitor Research and Evaluation at the Exploratorium in San Francisco where she oversees all aspects of visitor studies, educational research, and evaluation on all projects involving the museum’s public space. She was the in-house evaluation coordinator for the Exploratorium on the "California Framework Project" which explored the roles that a science museum can play in assisting science education reform in the schools. She and her colleagues study visitors' learning in the museum's public space, and work collaboratively with practitioners in the design of their research and evaluation agendas. Her current research interests include methods for assessing learning, exhibit design, personal meaning-making and scientific inquiry. Dr. Allen has lectured in the Department of Museums Studies at John F. Kennedy University. She teaches graduate-level, action-oriented course on thinking and learning in science to Ph.D. students and Masters/Science-Credential students at University of California, Berkeley, School of Education. Dr. Allen has contributed numerous articles and book chapters to the informal science field. She is a member of many professional associations including Visitor Studies Association, Museum Education Roundtable and Cultural Connections. Dr. Allen received her Ph.D. in Science Education from the Science and Mathematics Education program at the University of California Berkeley.