Force and Motion: Presenters
Dr. Matthew Bobrowsky, Instructor
Dr. Matthew Bobrowsky has been teaching at the college level for over 20 years. He serves on the science advisory committee for his local school district and has been awarded a number of grants for K-12 professional development in science. He has received numerous teaching awards, including the University of Maryland Board of Regents' Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence.
Dr. Bobrowsky is currently employed in the Department of Physics at the University of Maryland. In that capacity, he teaches physics, carries out research, and is the director of the Physics Department's Lecture-Demonstration Facility -- a collection of over 1,400 physics demonstrations. You can visit the Facility's Web site: http://www.physics.umd.edu/deptinfo/facilities/lecdem/lecdem.htm
Previously, Dr. Bobrowsky was an astronomer at the (Hubble) Space Telescope Science Institute, working as a science content specialist for the Origins Education Forum -- a NASA educational group concerned with the origin of galaxies, stars, planets, and life. He was responsible for collecting and researching scientific information related to NASA's Origins missions and presenting it in a form appropriate to various educational and public audiences. Dr. Bobrowsky wrote educational material (e.g., K-12 science activities and lessons) and prepared presentations for educational workshops.
In his astronomical research, Dr. Bobrowsky has made astronomical observations with many telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope. His specialty is the study of planetary nebulae -- clouds of gas expanding outward from aging stars.
Dr. Bobrowsky lectures widely on the process of science, the Hubble Space Telescope, science vs. pseudoscience, why intelligent design is not science, and dealing with students who are skeptical of the age of the earth, the age of the universe, and biological evolution. His most popular lecture is "How Big, How Far" -- a fascinating portrayal of the sizes and distances of planets, stars, and galaxies. Finally, for 2009, the International Year of Astronomy, he has a special presentation in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first use of the telescope: "Telescopes: Giant Eyes on Earth and in Space"
More information about Dr. Bobrowsky can be found at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbobrowsky
Paul Tingler
Paul Tingler is the Online Short Course Director at the National Science Teachers Association. Mr. Tingler has been involved in science education for nearly 20 years as science teacher in both a large, public, suburban school and a small, private, urban Catholic school. He has worked at the state level in standardized test evaluation, at the District level on curriculum writing and development, and has provided professional development in-service opportunities for faculty and staff both within and outside of his former districts. Mr. Tingler has also provided online professional development as an adjunct instructor with Pearson Achievement Solutions.
At NSTA, Mr. Tingler formerly served as the Project Director of the New Science Teacher Academy.
For more information contact shortcourses@nsta.org