Valarie L. Akerson is a Professor of Science Education at Indiana University. Her scholarship focuses on early childhood and elementary teachers' conceptions of the nature of science (NOS), as well as their teaching practice. Her research also focuses on early childhood and elementary students' conceptions of nature of science. Her research has been published in top journals, such as Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Science Education, Research in Science Education, International Journal of Science Education, and Journal of Science Teacher Education, among others. She has published several books in science education.