I just read of your work and website … sounds and looks great ! I am a retired Ph.D. organic chemist and would like to contribute to your work where and when I am able. I have always felt that a large percentage of Americans suffer from “scientific illiteracy” and your project should go a long way towards alleviating this deficiency.

Richard D. Stacy

I just read of your work and website … sounds and looks great ! I am a retired Ph.D. organic chemist and would like to contribute to your work where and when I am able. I have always felt that a large percentage of Americans suffer from “scientific illiteracy” and your project should go a long way towards alleviating this deficiency.

Richard D. Stacy

I read about you in Chemical and Engineering
News.

Although I have been involved in scientific, particularly medical, research for some time, I have enjoyed the presentation
and teaching aspect of science. In the process of becoming a pretty fair girls basketball coach, I learned that confidence is everything and if you truly believe in yourself, you can probably do anything your heart desires. Even “marginal” players can become inspired and make a difference.

I remember telling a group, “…If your teacher told you that you were an idiot, would you go home and try and learn as much as you can about that class, no way…If your coach is always berating you, are you going to come to practice or a game ready
to go ? no way. However, if I challenge you and develop you in a
positive way, you’re going to leave practice thinking that this was the best 2 hours of your life and you’re going to want to go right home and practice more.
A good coach is a good teacher and a good teacher is a good coach…”

Science has become elitist and a clique. People in our educational system are developed into being nonteam players. For this and other reasons, “average” people tune it out. I started substitute teaching for AP classes at a prep school in NJ awhile back.
The kids were more or less unruly and didn’t want to be there. The
chemistry classes were studying refining and distillation and were completely bored.
I changed the example from oil to making moonshine and they were captivated. For the biology group, instead of memorizing DNA structures and bacteria, I put their chairs in a circle and we created a biotechnology company with me in the middle as the moderator. Class was conducted by the Socratic Method. I had kids who were detention regulars shaking my hand and even got a hug at the end of one of the sessions. Learning science
was fun again !
I told one group of typical guys in a class ” Do you realize that Louis Pasteur would be in jail today for some of the things he did ?” They thought that was cool. I have always said that a remake on Pasteur would make a great movie (similar to Good Will Hunting) and Robin Williams would be phenomenal in the lead role. I’d love to write the script . Did you know that Pasteur was an outstanding artist and cook as well ?

What you are doing is wonderful and long overdue. If there is any way that I can contribute to your success,please let me know.

Cheers,

Pat McAtee

I read about you in Chemical and Engineering
News.

Although I have been involved in scientific, particularly medical, research for some time, I have enjoyed the presentation
and teaching aspect of science. In the process of becoming a pretty fair girls basketball coach, I learned that confidence is everything and if you truly believe in yourself, you can probably do anything your heart desires. Even “marginal” players can become inspired and make a difference.

I remember telling a group, “…If your teacher told you that you were an idiot, would you go home and try and learn as much as you can about that class, no way…If your coach is always berating you, are you going to come to practice or a game ready
to go ? no way. However, if I challenge you and develop you in a
positive way, you’re going to leave practice thinking that this was the best 2 hours of your life and you’re going to want to go right home and practice more.
A good coach is a good teacher and a good teacher is a good coach…”

Science has become elitist and a clique. People in our educational system are developed into being nonteam players. For this and other reasons, “average” people tune it out. I started substitute teaching for AP classes at a prep school in NJ awhile back.
The kids were more or less unruly and didn’t want to be there. The
chemistry classes were studying refining and distillation and were completely bored.
I changed the example from oil to making moonshine and they were captivated. For the biology group, instead of memorizing DNA structures and bacteria, I put their chairs in a circle and we created a biotechnology company with me in the middle as the moderator. Class was conducted by the Socratic Method. I had kids who were detention regulars shaking my hand and even got a hug at the end of one of the sessions. Learning science
was fun again !
I told one group of typical guys in a class ” Do you realize that Louis Pasteur would be in jail today for some of the things he did ?” They thought that was cool. I have always said that a remake on Pasteur would make a great movie (similar to Good Will Hunting) and Robin Williams would be phenomenal in the lead role. I’d love to write the script . Did you know that Pasteur was an outstanding artist and cook as well ?

What you are doing is wonderful and long overdue. If there is any way that I can contribute to your success,please let me know.

Cheers,

Pat McAtee