University of North Texas 
The Dean is pleased to recognize Marti Lathrop as the recipient of this month’s Excellence in Mastering Challenges Continuously (E=mc²) Award! This award was established by Dean Quintanilla in 2023 to recognize outstanding efforts among full-time staff members within the College of Science and its departments.
“I am surprised to receive this award and grateful for the recognition of all of the
work that happens in the college that not everyone sees,” said Marti, who has been
the Program Project Coordinator for the Elm Fork Education Center for fourteen years.
The Elm Fork Education Center is the community outreach arm of the Advanced Environmental Research Institute and recently celebrated twenty-five years of providing science education programsto elementary students across the Metroplex. About 12,000-15,000 children visit the center on UNT’s campus every year.
“That’s about a hundred kids per day,” said Marti. Students usually visit for a four-hour field trip visit that includes activities in archaeology, aquatic studies, astronomy, and ecology. “There’s a scavenger hunt highlighting native Texas animals, and hands on math and science games in the Eagle Exhibit Hall. We also host five weeks of science camps in the summer, a weekly homeschool science lab, and weekend small group events.”
Needless to say, Marti stays busy. She leads field trip visits almost every day from 9am-2pm and also handles program prep, homeschool labs, and organizes other Elm Fork activities and events.
“The best part of my job is the diversity of the students (both college and elementary) that I get to work with every day,” said Marti. “And the diversity of the daily activities, and especially the excellent staff at Elm Fork, are what keep me coming back.”
Marti started working with Elm Fork in 2003 as a graduate student after receiving her bachelor's degree in integrated science education from the University of Texas in San Antonio. Her favorite UNT memories are of watching her children graduate.
In her free time, Marti co-owns a local yoga studio, where she practices and teaches yoga. She enjoys being in nature and, depending on the season, she can be found walking, hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, or riding her bike around town.