Department of Education

Laura Wentzel (she/her) is a member of the MAT science cohort and is an aspiring high school biology teacher. She graduated from Swarthmore College in 2026, with a biology major and minors in chemistry and environmental studies. As an undergraduate, Laura enjoyed being a math coach for the Chester Children's Chorus and serving as a TA for introductory biology labs and a tap dance class. A highlight of her Swarthmore career was visiting Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the Amazonian rainforest and doing educational outreach at the Vivarium de Quito and Universidad San Francisco in Quito, Ecuador. Laura was awarded the 2026 Martha E. Tyson Fellowship for Teaching. 

At Brown and beyond, Laura is excited to share her love of the natural world with students. She seeks to nurture student agency and engagement by helping students explore a facet of biology that they can connect to their own life story and giving them space to discover their own awe of biology. Laura also aims for her future students to feel empowered to critically evaluate scientific claims and work toward environmental justice in their communities. In her free time, Laura enjoys watercoloring flowers, doing ballet, and going on sunset walks around Providence.