Meet Our Executive Director
Chef Meggie Kern is an accomplished culinary professional, trained curriculum writer, and certified science educator with diverse and international experience.
Chef Meg was raised within a family of dedicated craftsmen, artists, and chefs hailing from the Great Lakes. She grew up in the kitchen and the outdoors and still finds her peace and balance there. Meggie began cooking in restaurants as a young teen and has over 18 years of varied professional culinary experience ranging from professional catering, fine dining restaurants, private estate chef, and as an international superyacht chef in addition to her academic and science research and certifications.
Dream it.
Her wide educational background began with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature & Writing with a focus in Journalism and Linguistics from Flagler College. In 2009, while sous chef at 1201 Kitchen, she jump-started the Edible Schoolgarden in her hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania at Mercyhurst Preparatory School. The Edible Schoolgarden initially included a half acre vegetable and herb garden with raised beds, a terraced garden for lettuces and herbs, a hydroponic system, and outdoor classroom area with benches and tables. She designed the garden to be used with an inter-disciplinary curriculum as a school-wide Wellness Initiative. The campus grown produce is still used to this day to supplement freshly-made cafeteria meals.
In 2015, Chef Meg additionally earned a Master's Degree from Edinboro University in the Biological Sciences with focuses in evolutionary biology, secondary STEM education, and inquiry-oriented instruction. She studied abroad and completed her thesis in Peru as an Amazonian botanical foods researcher with Chontachaka Ecological Reserve in Manú biosphere, while sharpening her culinary knowledge and skills of Peruvian and Nikkei cuisine.
Build it.
Chef Kern has experience as a science educator for South Broward High School's Marine & Maritime Magnet Program in southern Florida that exposes young people to career choices in the maritime industry while encouraging environmental stewardship. She has taught courses in Honors Marine Biology, Invertebrate Anatomy & Physiology, Evolutionary Biology, Oceanography, Honors Biology, Ecology & Food science.
Chef Kern has also contributed as a science curriculum writer for Project S.T.E.A.R. under Pennsylvania Sea Grant and as a maritime education specialist on a floating environmental lab, aboard the research vessel, Environaut. Her work collaborations include such programs as NOVA Southeastern University, University of Miami- Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, and coral reef restoration with MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.
Her efforts with the Marine & Maritime Magnet Program recently earned her an Innovation Award for her commitment to student achievement and the program's 2018 nationally certified distinction as a Magnet School of America based on strict standards of excellence.
Grow it.
Chef Kern is now based in North County San Diego, California. She is the creator and founder of the AESE programming, currently acting as Executive Director, Board Chair, and lead food science educator for all programs. She continues to cook professionally and travels often.
Meet our Board of Directors
It all begins with an idea… and then having the best foresight and know-how to see the idea through to successful fruition. Our Board’s role is to insure the continuity of our programming by planning for AESE’s future.
We are carefully establishing a Board of five diverse members; representing multiple geographic backgrounds and reflecting a wide range of professional experience including experience from the Non-profit sector, Middle & Secondary Education and/or STEAM education specialists, Research scientists, Culinary Industry Professionals, digital and media marketing analysts, international program evaluation and community development with refugees & immigrants.
David Boughton
Board Director
Retired Maritime Science Education Specialist
Pennsylvania Sea Grant, an extension of Penn State University funded by the National Oceanagraphic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA Penn State University).
Dave worked out of the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie, PA and taught classes at the Maritime Center, Charter School focusing on Science and shipwreck history. Seasonally he additionally offered a shipboard education program with the US Brig Niagara, S/V Denis Sullivan and Gannon University's research boat the "Environaut".
His years of instruction included covering topics on Lake Science and history including limnology, fish biology, water chemistry, benthic analysis, weather & climate, fossils/paleontology, navigation, sail theory, and underwater ROV's.
Dave was awarded the Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year award in 2018, just prior to his retirement. He is well known in the Great Lakes area of the country for telling a great story, especially one that starts with a dramatic open like, “It was a dark and stormy night,” but his love of stories and presenting them in a theatrical way are just one of his like-able qualities. He also has had the unique ability to reach out to students, sensing what teaching style might work best, and helping them to make a connection to science and nature. David’s ‘can-do’ attitude and hands-on approach to teaching and learning have benefitted thousands of students and adults.
He is excited and honored to be a part of AESE’s initiatives and brings a wealth of knowledge and connections concerning Educational Outreach and Program Development.
Dr. Matthieu Platre
Board Director
Post-doctoral Plant Research Scientist
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies- Busch Lab
Originally from France, Matthieu obtained his PhD at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon in 2017. He was part of the cell signaling and endocytosis group mentored by Yvon Jaillais. During his PhD, he analyzed membrane electrostatics organization in plant cells and its role in cell-signaling and development.
Dr. Platre has pioneered single molecule localisation microscopy in intact living plant tissues and contributed significantly to the scientific community’s understanding of lipid dynamics and their importance for signal transduction in plants. He has shown great dedication to confronting the fundamental question of whether the root system architecture of plants is set up according to the demands of their shoots. His research requires a multi-disciplinary approach to the identification of the mechanisms and genes involved in nutrient sensing, important for plant adaption.
His scientific contributions are reflected in over 16 publications, including five as first and co-first author in high-impact-factor journals such as Science, Developmental Cell, and Nature Plants.
He is pleased to offer a supportive role for AESE’s programming, curriculum development rooted in real-world problems, and offering insight into tangible and current scientific research studies locally in San Diego.
