As director of scientific research at Effingham College and Career Academy (ECCA), Georgia Southern University alumna Michelle Thompson, Ed.D., (‘00,’05,’11) is constantly looking for ways to challenge and encourage the creative growth of her students and has found that her alma mater can help.ECCA is a ninth through 12th grade charter program school that serves Effingham County high schools. Students from both Effingham and South Effingham high schools attend classes and earn professional certifications and credentials in nursing, allied health, sports medicine, engineering, robotics, web design, computer science, culinary arts, automatic technology and maintenance and logistics.Thompson works with students completing the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research program, a four-course sequence that requires students to conduct both individual and group interdisciplinary research assignments.“What is neat about what I get to do is that it really takes someone who has had experience in multiple science disciplines to be able to run an interdisciplinary research course,” said Thompson.After teaching science in the classroom for more than 15 years, Thompson has a multitude of educational experience. She completed a bachelor’s in kinesiology from Georgia Southern, with intentions to pursue a career in sports medicine or cardiac rehabilitation.