University of British Columbia nets a noble laureate … who wants to push science education
From today’s Globe & Mail … Nobel Laureate recruited for UBC
Prof. Wieman was not available for an interview yesterday. However, he told the Denver Post that he is currently more interested in promoting education reform than continuing research at his atomic physics lab. “I wasn’t really able to do the atomic physics research at a level that I was very happy with any more,” he said. “I’ve never wanted to be one of those doddering old scientists who are 30 years behind the times.”
Why is this exciting? As you know Nobel Prize winners (good story there too … the Nobel Prize was started by Alfred Nobel as a way to put the bounty from inventing dynamite, and to expunge his personal guilt, to good use) are the cream of the crop of scientists. They are also not usually known for, at least in the sciences, for getting back into teaching. For a Nobel Laureate to want to spend time not only with research but to promote better science education, that’s fantastic! Science education is so critical to children and to have a proponent of this caliber … let’s hope it makes a difference!
Tags: science education, UBC, Carl Wieman
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