Erika Riddington

RET Teacher of the Week!

Week One:

Erika Riddington has just completed her first year of teaching. At the Susan B. Anthony Middle School in Revere, MA she taught sixth through eighth grade general science. She decided to participate in RET at Boston University this summer because it is an opportunity to get real world research experience to share with her students. She had never worked in a lab before, so she is thrilled to be welcomed into the Boston University Photonics Center, where she will be mentored by engineers who spend their professional careers conducting research and working in laboratories.

Erika sees middle school science as mostly about basic concepts, the methods of science, and getting kids excited about it. Her curriculum has a little bit of everything, “physical science, life sciences, space science, etc.” She says, “that this is because the requirements of the Next Generation Science Standards, particularly the way in which they were adopted by the Revere district, cover many branches of science with an emphasis on critical thinking and principles of engineering

Many of her students at Susan B. Anthony have limited proficiency in English; the English Language Learners are a fast growing population in America, especially in inner city schools. She shares, “I chose this type of work and was specifically trained for teaching these kids. I think my interest stems from my personal international experience and previous work resettling refugees in Springfield and Chicago.”

Erika got her first masters degree at the University of Virginia in landscape architecture. After graduation, she worked professionally with landscape architecture and planning firms for several years in Washington DC and later in Boston. During this time she frequently worked with engineers on projects. When she decided to become a teacher, she chose to teach science as an extension of a personal interest that had grown in the course of studying topography, hydrology, soil science and plant communities for the purpose of landscape design. She got her Master of Education through UMASS Boston with the idea of paying it forward and opening up possibilities for underserved students.

“The wonderful thing is how welcoming everyone has been. I had no idea these incredible opportunities existed for teachers,” said Riddington. Her eyes were filled with excitement and curiosity as she looked around the Photonics building. It became clear that Erika was participating in the RET program to benefit both herself, and her students. She says, “I want to instill in my students that science is a habit of mind by which they can develop practical skills and go on incredible journeys as they explore how things work, the thrill of investigation, and the beauty of the natural world.” She continues, “(I) want to explore fields that I am not familiar with, and to be able be involved with something like Integrated Nano manufacturing is so exciting.”

A mother of two, she loves to go hiking with her husband, eleven-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son. She has become an avid fan of women’s soccer since her daughter started playing. “But I would have to say, cross-country skiing is my favorite sport.” Riddington enjoys working out both her brain and her body.

We are lucky to have such an enthusiastic teacher-turned-researcher on board this summer. She will be spending the rest of her time in Scott Bunch’s lab with REU Gabriela Correa working on growing and characterizing 2D atomic membranes. We are very excited to see their progress.