FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AAPT Announces 2007 Summer Meeting Plenary Sessions
Featuring Gerald Wheeler, Janet Guthrie, and George CoyneCollege Park, Maryland, United States, May 4, 2007 The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) announced today that its 2007 Summer Meeting in Greensboro, NC, will include three plenary sessions featuring nationally renowned speakers.
Plenary I: Max Dresden 2nd Memorial Lecture, "The Many Ways to Do Physics"
Gerald F. Wheeler, Executive Director, NSTA
Monday, July 30, 11 a.m.-Noon
As the Executive Director of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), Gerald Wheeler heads the world’s largest professional organization representing science educators at all grade levels. Before joining NSTA, Wheeler was Director of the Science/Math Resource Center and Professor of Physics at Montana State University. He also headed the Public Understanding of Science and Technology Division at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and is a past president of AAPT (1989-90). Wheeler received his undergraduate degree in science education from Boston University and both his Master’s degree in physics and PhD in experimental nuclear physics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Between undergraduate and graduate school, he taught high school physics, chemistry, and physical science.
Plenary II: "Racing As Metaphor"
Janet Guthrie, President, Guthrie Racing LLC, Aspen, CO
Tuesday, July 31, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Before becoming the first woman ever to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, Janet Guthrie was a pilot and flight instructor, an aerospace engineer, a technical editor, and a public representative for major U.S. corporations. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a BSc in physics and joined Republic Aviation in Farmingdale, NY, as a research and development engineer working on aerospace programs. Her 2005 autobiography, Janet Guthrie: A Life at Full Throttle, was described by Sports Illustrated as “an uplifting work that is one of the best books ever written about racing.”
Plenary III: "Dance of the Fertile Universe: Cosmic and Human Evolution"
George Coyne, Adjunct Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona, Tucson (and Former Director of the Vatican Observatory, Rome)
Wednesday, August 1, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
George Coyne obtained his PhD in Astronomy from Georgetown University (Washington, DC) in 1962 and the Licentiate in Theology from Woodstock College (Maryland) in 1966. In addition, he has received PhD degrees honoris causa from St. Peter’s University (New Jersey), Loyola University (Chicago), The University of Padua (Italy), the Jagellonian University (Krakow, Poland), and Marquette University (Milwaukee). Since 1966 he has been associated with astronomy programs at the University of Arizona (Tucson) and from 1976 to 1980 he served in various capacities in the administration of the astronomical observatories at that university.
"Each of our plenary speakers is a successful physicist who has chosen a non-traditional career path that has had a major impact on society. They clearly demonstrate that physics is the universal language of science and is understandable to all people," stated Lila Adair, AAPT President-Elect and Meeting Program Chair.
“Once again, we have a diverse set of plenary speakers that I am certain will engage our attendees and present fresh perspectives on physics and education,” added Toufic Hakim, AAPT Executive Officer.
About AAPT
AAPT is the leading organization for physics educators—with more than 10,000 members worldwide. Our mission is to advance the greater good through physics education. We provide our members with many opportunities for professional development, communication, and student enrichment. We serve the larger community through a variety of programs and publications. AAPT was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland.
For More Information
AAPT Summer Meeting Featured Speakers:
http://www.aapt.org/Events/SM2007/sm07speakers.cfm
Or Contact Robert Merz, Marketing Manager
media@aapt.org
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1-301-209-0845 (Fax)
American Association of Physics Teachers
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