Tag Archives: Science Teachers

Science teacher Bryce Carlson: He rowed solo across the Atlantic

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Bryce Carlson

Bryce Carlson, a high school teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio, who broke a world record when he successfully rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Some of the most amazing feats are accomplished by remarkable teachers. One of these teachers is Bryce Carlson, a high school science teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio, who was recently featured in the news because he broke the world record for rowing across the Atlantic Ocean. This extraordinary teacher is the first American to row solo and unassisted across the North Atlantic Ocean, and he did it in record time.

Bryce’s journey began in St. John’s in Newfoundland, Canada, on June 27. He arrived in St. Mary’s Harbor in the Isles of Scilly on the southwestern tip of England just 38 days, 6 hours, and 49 minutes later. The previous record was 53 days, 8 hours, and 26 minutes.

Bryce rowed a distance of about 2,000 nautical miles. This amazing teacher made the trip in a 20-foot, 700-pound boat made of carbon fiber he named Lucille. He packed the boat with navigation and safety equipment, a water maker, bilge pump, stove, mattress and sleeping bag, clothes, toiletries, a medical supplies kit, a few books, and a stereo with his favorite music selections. “If the boat or I get into real trouble, I can signal for help via an emergency beacon or VHF radio on the boat, a personal emergency beacon on my life vest, or by my tracking unit, satellite phone and a satellite Wi-Fi hotspot,” Bryce explained before he started out. These precautions were extremely important. During the journey, Bryce capsized several times and endured high waves, not to mention the remnants of a hurricane!

During his adventure, Bryce worked with a software company based in Cincinnati called Abre Everywhere, which will help him turn his experience and the data from his trip into courses available to other educators.

Bryce’s school is lucky to have him on their staff. He teaches biology, environmental studies, and psychology at the Seven Hills School, a private school located near Cincinnati, Ohio. The Seven Hills School, originally founded in 1906, aspires to foster natural curiosity, active inquiry, and self-discovery. Bryce certainly has modeled those characteristics in spades.

Bryce earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 2003 and his Ph.D in Biological Anthropology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2011.

Right on, Bryce!

Herman Silas Pepoon: Medical doctor, scientist, and talented classroom teacher

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Herman Silas Pepoon

Herman Silas Pepoon, medical doctor and talented classroom teacher.

Many talented and dedicated educators came to the teaching profession after having first experienced success in some other career. This is true of Herman Silas Pepoon, a medical doctor who gave up his practice to became a high school science teacher.

Herman was born on January 21, 1860, in Warren, Joe Daviess County, Illinois. Herman earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Ubana-Champaign in 1881. After he earned this degree, he studied medicine, earning his medical degree in 1883 from Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago.

After earning his MD, Herman established a medical practice first in Nebraska, and later in Illinois. After ten years, in 1892, he gave up his medical practice and accepted a job as a science teacher at Lakeview High School, a public high school located on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. He taught there from 1892 to 1930. In addition to his classroom duties, Herman taught courses in botany for young people and local teachers at Chicago’s Academy. He also led field trips and gave public lectures. A prolific writer, in 1927 Herman published An Annotated Flora of the Chicago Area, an acclaimed identification source for local plants. He also published a botanical teaching manual entitled Studies of Plant Life: A Series of Exercises for the Study of Plants in 1900 with co-authors Walter R. Mitchell and Fred B. Maxwell. Over the years, Herman published numerous articles on botany, forestry, and ecology in respected scientific journals.

After he retired from teaching, Herman became a life member of the Chicago Academy of Sciences (CAS), which named him Honorary Curator of Botany for the institution in 1930. He also worked with the Illinois Natural History Survey helping with the collection and study of vascular plants.

This chalkboard champion passed away at the age of 81 on December 26, 1941. He is interred in Acacia Park Cemetery in Chicago.

Biology teacher Joseph Ruhl: A 2017 National Teachers Hall of Fame inductee

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Joseph Ruhl

Biology teacher and 2017 NTHF inductee Joseph Ruhl features individualized instruction, hands-on projects, and technology in his courses.

I truly enjoy sharing stories about hardworking and dedicated educators. Today I’d like to share the story of Joseph Ruhl, a biology and genetics teacher from Lafayette, Indiana, who was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2017.

Joseph attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 1977 and his Master’s degree in Biology Education in 1980.

His career in the classroom spanned a total of 38 years in the classroom. During this long career, he has taught at Lanier B High School in Macon, George, at LaCrosse High School in la Crosse, Indiana, at North White high School in Monon, Indiana, and at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, Indiana. “Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world,” declares Joseph. “It’s also one of the most difficult, but teaching is a profession that will being authentic joy and satisfaction.”

Joseph offers a unique teaching style, which features individualized instruction, hands-on projects, technology, and what he calls a “smorgasbord menu” that allows students to make their own choices.

For his outstanding work in the classroom, Joseph has been singled out for many honors. In 1988 he was awarded a Golden Apple Teaching Award by the Lafayette, Indiana Chamber of Commerce. In 1989, he garnered the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. In 2012, he won the Shell National Science Teaching Award, and in 2015, he was given the Robert E. Yager Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2017, he earned the Sagamore of the Wabash Award presented by the Governor Indiana. That same year, he was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame.

The TED Talk YouTube video below is almost 18 minutes, but it provides an inspirational speech from this distinguished chalkboard champion. Enjoy!

Lisa Niver: Award-winning science teacher and travel blogger

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Lisa Niver

Lisa Niver, award-winning science teacher and travel blogger

During their summers off, many teachers often enjoy improving their professional practice through sifting through resources in their field. Many teachers also enjoy expanding their horizons through traveling, either within the United States or abroad. Science teacher Lisa Niver is a talented educator who can help you with both!

Lisa is a former junior high school science educator from Los Angeles, California. She is well-known in science teacher circles for her instructional strategies that emphasize the use of technology in the classroom. She’s also noted for using students’ real world connections to explore their passions and to work towards solving today’s most complex issues. She also developed a successful summer science camp for students, and created a science-based website entitled Science Isn’t Scary. In 2009, Lisa founded the Los Angeles Science Teachers Network (LASTN),  a professional development network that by May, 2012, involved over 70 teachers and 40 schools. The effort was praised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

 

In addition to her career as a professional educator, Lisa is also a sought-after motivational speaker, travel agent, and travel writer. Lisa has traveled to over 99 countries, and has been recognized as one of the top five female travel bloggers. In addition, she is the Adventure Correspondent for The Jet Set, the first travel based TV Talk show. To learn more about unique travel experiences, check out Lisa’s fabulous website at We Said Go Travel.

Lisa has published many articles in online and offline magazines, including National Geographic, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, and The Jewish Journal. She was a 2012 nominee for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. In 2018, she was nominated in three categories of the Southern California Journalism Awards: Science/Technology Reporting; Travel Reporting; and Personality Profile. Click below to view a 4-minute interview of this remarkable teacher:

Science teacher Greg Craven presents info about climate change

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Science teacher Greg Craven discusses the topic of climate change with his high school students.

There are many examples of classroom teachers who have made a significant impact on American culture. Science teacher Greg Craven of Oregon is an excellent example of this.

Greg was raised in Silverton, Oregon. After his high school graduation, he attended the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, where he majored in computer science and Asian studies. Once he earned his degree, he accepted a position as a science teacher at Central High School in Independence, Polk County, Oregon, where he teaches physics and chemistry. This talented educator involves his students in using critical thinking skills to tackle questions about science.

In 2007, Greg created an instructional YouTube video that featured the subject of climate change. The ten-minute video, entitled The Most Terrifying Video You’ll Ever See, instantly went viral. To follow up, this chalkboard champion created 44 additional videos which further explored the topic. “My mission in this is to change the culture,” explained Greg, “so that a policymaker can’t turn around without somebody saying ‘Hey! What are you doing about climate change?’ We need significant changes in the basis of our modern society, which is cheap, easily accessible fossil fuels.” As a follow up to his videos, Greg published a book entitled What’s the Worst that Could Happen? A Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate in 2009.

For this work, Greg was named Featured Teacher by WIRED Science in 2007. In 2010, he was invited to address the American Geophysical Union, where he also served as a member of a panel discussion group that addressed the topic of climate change. He has also been named Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the Oregon Science Teach­­ers Association.

To learn more about Greg’s book, see What’s the Worst that Could Happen? on amazon. com. To view Greg’s 2007 YouTube video, see below: