Science Contact

Learn more about the the Science Noyce Scholarship Program ( Project BoNUSS)

We will be happy to contact you via email or phone to answer more questions about our Program. Please feel free to contact us!

Peter Garik
Principle Investigator, Program Coordinator
Email: garik@bu.edu
Phone: 617-353-4735

Peter Garik is Clinical Associate Professor of Science Education in the School of Education at Boston University. His doctorate is in theoretical condensed matter physics from Cornell University (1981). Since 1990 he has been engaged in the development of educational materials for high school students and undergraduates; professional development of physics teachers; and, professional development in science of K-8 teachers. For the professional development of physics teachers, he helped develop materials to teach the conceptual history of physics. Professor Garik’s interest in improving science education led him to help initiate the Learning Assistant (LA) Program at Boston University, a program developed at CU Boulder. He learned about the LA Program at an annual meeting of PhysTEC, the organization funded by the American Physical Society with an NSF grant to increase the number of qualified physics teachers. Professor Garik was subsequently co-PI on a Comprehensive PhysTEC grant that funded a Physics Teacher-in-Residence at Boston University. The Boston University Noyce Urban Science Scholars (Project BoNUSS), for which Professor Garik is the PI, grew out of these earlier activities. Currently, Professor Garik divides his time between the Noyce Scholars, a NASA funded project to develop a vertically integrated K-12 science curriculum using NASA and GLOBE assets, science content preparation of elementary education majors, and consideration of how to integrate the history of science policy into classrooms.

 

Don DeRosa

Co-Principal Investigator, Instructor
Email: donder@bu.edu
Phone: 617-353-4052

Most of Professor DeRosa’s career in science education has been devoted to bridging the worlds of science and science education. His experiences working with practicing scientists, K12 teachers, and students to translate the practices and content of science in developmentally appropriate learning experiences for students provide unique insights for program development and pre-service teacher preparation.

After teaching middle and high school science for several years, Professor DeRosa began his work at Boston University in 1992 with CityLab, a biotechnology learning laboratory for teachers and students in grades 7-12  (www.bumc.bu.edu/citylab). There  he developed curriculum, taught students laboratory-based investigations in molecular biology, and led teacher workshops. He also co-founded a mobile laboratory in 1998 that brings science experiences to schools and the community. As the current Director of CityLab, he works on several grants in science education that address outreach and curriculum development. Currently he serves as one of multiple principal investigators on a NIH Science Education Partnership award that targets STEM education through the lens of sports science.

As a Clinical Associate Professor at the Boston University School of Education, he teaches science teaching methods for pre-service teachers and serves as the Science Program Director. He is a trainer for the NSF supported Global Learning Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) and is currently working on the Mission Earth project to integrate GLOBE and NASA assets in K-12 classrooms. Professor DeRosa co-authors a textbook for pre-service elementary educators on science teaching methods and has served on several advisory boards for organizations such as Teach for America, the Center for the Advancement of Science Education at Bridgewater State College, and the Museum Institute for Teaching Science.

 

Mark Greenman
Co-Principal Investigator, Master Teacher Observer
Email: greenman@bu.edu
Phone:

Mark has three decades of experience in K-12 education where he served as a physics, math and chemistry teacher, district coordinator for computer education and district curriculum director for mathematics and science. He is a recipient of many awards including the congressional Presidential Award for Mathematics and Science Teaching, the American Association of Physics Teachers Paul Zitzewitz Award for Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching, the Massachusetts Educational Technology Advisory Council’s Pathfinder Award and recipient of the Massachusetts Science Educator Leadership Association Hall of Fame for Science Educators.

Mark also served for two years as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the National Science Foundation working in the Division of Undergraduate Education. For 15-years, through grants from the Massachusetts Department of Education, Mark has delivered professional development institutes in physics and chemistry content and best practices to hundreds of Massachusetts science teachers, and he has presented workshops on physics education and professional development at local, regional, national and international conferences.

Mark is currently working at Boston University as a Research Fellow and Teacher in Residence where he supports joint and separate ventures within the School of Education and physics department in the College of Arts and Sciences.

 

Irene Plonczak
Instructor, Master Teacher Observer

• 30+ years teaching elementary, middle, and  secondary science
• Part time professor in the BU Science Education program
• Former Director of the graduate K-6 STEM Education program at Hofstra University, NY
• Fluent in Spanish, French, and German

“After all these years I still LOVE teaching, and I LOVE visiting and coaching new teachers in their classrooms. I also feel it’s my social responsibility and my contribution to society.”

 

David Lyons
Master Teacher Observer

• Over 30 years of experience teaching science (K-12 & beyond)
• Inductee Massachusetts Science Educator Hall of Fame
• Past president (current BOD member) North Shore Science Supervisor’s Association
• Former New England Director for National Science Education Leadership Association
• DOE Horace Mann Teacher
• ASCD Peter Farrely Educator

“I love working with the Noyce Scholars because they are the best and brightest! My goal is to help them to become the effective educators that all our students deserve!”

 

Tyler Wooley-Brown
Graduate Research Assistant, Master Teacher Observer

Teaching Experience: 8 years experience teaching physics in public school districts. B.S. in Mathematics and Physics Education from Purdue University and Ed.M. in Curriculum and Instruction (Physics) from Boston University

“We lose so many new science teachers in public schools due to lack instruction in best practices and lack of support during the beginning years of teaching. I enjoy working with the participants in Project BoNUSS because I get to help new teachers be more successful during their first years in the classroom.”

Email: tbwbrown@bu.edu

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE-1660681. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.