Julie Dahl

Julie Dahl has been part of SURF’s Education and Outreach efforts since 2007. She transitioned into a full-time role dedicated to SURF in 2023, after many years serving in a shared position with Black Hills State University (BHSU). Over the course of her tenure, she has helped grow a robust program bringing STEM-focused, hands-on learning to students across South Dakota. In 2025 alone, the program reached more than 22,000 students and 400 teachers statewide.

As a graduate of BHSU, Julie began her career teaching kindergarten through eighth grade in a one-room country school. She later returned to earn her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, deepening her commitment to creating meaningful learning experiences. As SURF’s early education and outreach efforts were just getting started, Julie volunteered to help with events like Neutrino Day. What began as lending a hand gradually grew into a full-time opportunity to expand her impact beyond a single classroom.

“I realized my reach could be bigger,” she said. “I loved my students, but I could do more.”

Today, Julie works directly with educators and students across the state, delivering classroom presentations, developing curriculum, administering professional development, and leading field trips at SURF. “It’s rare to find a team that feels like a family—supporting each other, pushing boundaries, and celebrating wins together,” Julie says.

Given all aspects of her role, Julie still enjoys being in the classroom the most. Her heart is especially with kindergarten through fifth-grade students. “They’re curious, and they’re goofy, and they aren’t afraid to ask anything,” she says with a smile. “They haven’t learned to be shy about their ideas yet.”

Julie is driven by the opportunity to spark curiosity and show students that science is for everyone. Through hundreds of classroom visits and teacher partnerships, Julie continues to help build the next generation of scientists, engineers, and problem solvers.

"If we want students to be excited about STEM, they need to see where STEM lives, especially in South Dakota. It can’t just come out of a textbook. They need to meet the people and see the research."

— Julie Dahl

When she’s not traveling the state or developing education resources, Julie enjoys tending her garden, canning produce, making sausage, and spending time with her husband, Bruce, and Labrador Retriever, Gus. She also grew up building and flying model airplanes, a hobby she once shared with her grandfather—a pastime that sparked her curiosity and sense of possibility. Today, that same curiosity fuels her work at SURF, where she helps students discover new horizons in STEM and gives the next generation the wings to imagine what’s possible.

Artwork by Betsey DeLoache captures the country schoolhouse where Julie's teaching journey began.

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