Meet Our Team
Dr. Marjorie Darrah is the co-founder and Director of Research and Evaluation at STEM Peak Performance, LLC. She is a distinguished mathematician and researcher with extensive experience in STEM education and advanced technologies. Currently a Professor of Mathematics at West Virginia University (WVU) since 2007, her career spans over 30 years in higher education and informal STEM learning programs. Dr. Darrah holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from West Virginia University (1995), an M.S. in Mathematics from West Virginia University (1991), and B.S. in Mathematics and B.A. in Education from Fairmont State College (1989, 1988). Her diverse research interests include STEM Education, where she has served as Principal Investigator on three National Science Foundation (NSF) projects focused on connecting students and teachers with cutting-edge technology, as well as Co-PI on an NSF INCLUDES grant aimed at increasing access and broadening participation in STEM. She also conducts research on mitigating math anxiety and factors facilitating rural, first-generation STEM student success.
Dr. Darrah’s work extends to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, involving the development and implementation of biologically inspired algorithms such as Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms, and the use of Convolutional Neural Networks for identifying ground objects in LiDAR data collected by UAVs for the Army Research Labs and Navy projects. She has also contributed to the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) through the development of genetic algorithms for coordinating multiple UAV missions, funded by Army Research Labs and Air Force Research Labs, and in collaboration with NASA on Neural Networks for UAV system health monitoring. Dr. Darrah has conducted research on Homeland Security and Missile Defense Agency projects related to UAVs and health monitoring.
Further, Dr. Darrah has worked in Educational Technology, developing haptic touch technology for virtual object interaction, funded by the U.S. Department of Education SBIR program, creating virtual touch sensations allowing blind individuals to “touch” surfaces like Mars and Earth’s Moon. Dr. Darrah has led three NSF projects and one U.S. Department of Education project, with total funding exceeding $3 million. She has been Co-PI and key research on various other projects including an NSF INCLUDES grant for over $7 million. She has also conducted over 25 project evaluations, specializing in educational technologies and programs, published numerous research papers on topics ranging from UAV algorithms to math anxiety in undergraduate students, and made significant contributions to the field of STEM education for students with disabilities.
Dr. Darrah’s work demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing STEM education, particularly for underrepresented groups, while also contributing to cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence and UAV technologies, bridging the gap between theoretical mathematics, practical applications in technology, and innovative approaches to education.