Physics Taught Before Biology???
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centerline FALL 2011 MAUREEN PALMER, Editor/Public Affairs Manager Physics Taught Before Biology??? t has been said that physics explains the Ifundamental mechanisms of other sciences and creates new research opportunities in biology, chemistry and mathematics. Physics has a profound impact on the advances of new technologies that have come from theoretical breakthroughs. A topic of conversation among stakeholders in education is whether physics should be taught in high school before other sciences. The Center posed this question to physicists. Dr. J. Michael McQuade Team USA 2011 (From left to right) Charles H. Du, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Chicago, IL; Rebecca Shi, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, West Windsor, NJ; Chelsea Voss, Cupertino High is Senior Vice President, School, Cupertino, CA; Shulin Ye, Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, Denton, TX Science and Technology, for United Technologies 4 Gold Medals, #1 Team in the World, Corporation. His responsi- bilities include overseeing and #1 Individual Score in the World! UTC Power and UTC's Research Center and providing strategic oversight and guidance USA Biology Olympiad and the International Biology Olympiad for research and development activities throughout the corporation. Dr. McQuade eam USA 2011 returned from the prestigious International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in earned his Ph. D., M.S., and B.S. degrees Taiwan with 4 Gold Medals, named #1 Team in the World, and a team member gar- T in physics from Carnegie Mellon University. nered the top Individual Score in the World. Rebecca Shi (West Windsor, NJ), Charles Du He is a member of CEE’s Board of Trustees. (Chicago, IL), Chelsea Voss (Cupertino, CA), and Shulin Ye (Denton, TX) honored this nation. For the first time, a female U.S. team member, Rebecca Shi, placed first in the world in indi- Dr. Douglas E. vidual score at the renowned science competition. Himberger is Senior Vice President and Director of The four high school scholars competed in practical assessments and theory examinations Security, Energy, and the against students from 58 nations. Team USA excelled in the practical assessment of hands- Environment, National on laboratory skills inclusive of dissection, ecological investigation, and protein and DNA Opinion Research Center analyses. (NORC) at the University of Chicago. He “The Center is proud of the success of Team USA 2011 members and their ability to honor is responsible for new business in the area the United States with their outstanding academic performance in the global competition,” of security and is responsible for expanding said Joann DiGennaro, President of the Center for Excellence in Education. “This is a remark- the organization's current portfolio of work able achievement for U.S. academics.” in the areas of energy and the environment. Dr. Himberger earned a B.S. degree in Team USA 2011 adds to the victorious record of success for the USA Biology Olympiad. Physics from Nebraska Wesleyan University, Every U.S. team member has medaled in the international competition since 2003, bringing and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physics from home twenty-seven gold, seven silver and two bronze medals. Georgetown University. He is a member of Team USA 2011 was accompanied by Coaches Kathy Frame, Director of USA Biology CEE’s Board of Trustees. Olympiad and Special Projects at the Center for Excellence in Education, and Dr. Scott Mills, Dr. Jennifer Hoffman is Animal and Sciences Professor at Purdue University. Korean Air provided travel for the U.S. an Associate Professor at delegation. Harvard in the Department Supporters of the USA Biology Olympiad include Amedisys, Biogen Idec Foundation, of Physics. Her research Bio-Rad, Genentech, Korean Air, LabCorp, National Association of Biology Teachers, is about scanning probe Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative, Pearson, Purdue University, Psychemedics microscopy of correlated Corporation, Texas Instruments, Vanguard Research, Inc., and Ward’s Natural Science. u (continued on page 8) 2011 Spotlight on CEE Board of Trustees CEE Sponsors Congresswoman management, supply chain integration, Financing Susan Davis and supply chain event management FALL FALL product lines. He began his career Start-Ups Panel Congresswoman Susan in Product Management at Oracle Davis, Representative esearch Science Institute Alumni gath- Corporation. for California’s 53rd Rered at the Massachusetts Institute Congressional District, Mr. Parthasarathi received his master’s of Technology (MIT) Stata Center for a currently serving her 6th term, recently degree in computer science from the discussion on Planning and Financing joined the Center for Excellence Massachusetts Institute of Technology Start-Up businesses. The late spring in Education’s Board of Trustees. (MIT) and a bachelor's degree in com- event included a stellar panel: Congresswoman Davis is known for leg- puter science from the Indian Institute • Dr. Tom Leighton – Co-Founder/Chief islating as a bipartisan consensus-builder of Technology. Scientist at Akamai Technologies, Inc. in education, health care, election reform, • Marc Horowitz – Engineer at Ron Hohauser military families and veterans’ support. Facebook; RSI ‘87 The Center welcomes • Matt DeBergalis – Chairman and “I will look forward to working with Ron Hohauser, RSI’85, Founder of ActBlue; RSI ’94 my distinguished colleagues and the to its Board of Trustees. Center to reach this nation’s goal of Alumni learned first hand about how to He is the Chief taking students and teachers to the next take an idea to patent and how to strat- Financial Officer for level of educational achievement for this egize for taking the idea to market. Summit Entertainment, responsible for country’s competitive leadership,” said financial operations, human resources, Panelists agreed that you cannot have Congresswoman Davis. information technology and investor a start-up and control every aspect of it. Arvind Parthasarathi relations. He played a key role in They emphasized the need to have peo- raising over $1 billion in equity and ple with business experience to handle It is CEE’s pleasure debt financing to position Summit the day-to-day administration to position to have Arvind Entertainment as a worldwide produc- the business for growth. Each suggested Parthasarathi, RSI’90, tion and distribution studio. Before his sticking to what you know best to accen- as trustee on CEE’s Summit days, Mr. Hohauser was at tuate the business and then hiring really Board. He is Senior Marvel Studios. good people to support your goals. All Vice President and General Manager at emphasized that the bottom line is you Informatica Corporation (Nasdaq: INFA), Mr. Hohauser received his MBA in might have really great ideas, but not responsible for defining, delivering, Finance and Decision Processes from know enough about “business” to attract marketing and managing the company’s the Wharton School of Business. He investors. u master data management and identity graduated with a Bachelor of Arts resolution solutions. degree with honors from the University Left to right: of Virginia as an Echols Scholar. His Matt DeBergalis, Prior to joining Informatica, Mr. RSI ’94, Marc Interdisciplinary major was concentrat- Horowitz RSI Parthasarathi was Director of Product ed in Computer Science, Philosophy, ’87, and Dr. Management at i2 Technologies where Tom Leighton, U.S. Government and Economics. u Co-Founder, he managed the radio frequency iden- of Akamai tification (RFID), product information Technologies, Inc. McDonnell Lauds Launch of Center for Excellence in Education's National Lab Skills Initiative in Virginia overnor Bob McDonnell of Virginia Governor McDonnell reported to several • Disseminate cost-effective lab activities Gannounced the expansion of the hundred guests that the National Lab developed by teachers for teachers in Center for Excellence in Education's Skills Initiative will: Virginia. National Lab Skills Initiative (NLSI) in The Governor thanked the Center’s the Commonwealth at a bill signing • Provide a clearinghouse of content Virginia partners on NLSI which include in Richmond to help increase college rich programming to urban and rural George Mason University, ExxonMobil, degree attainment in Virginia. The underserved teachers Micron Foundation, Southwest expansion of NLSI supports the goal of • Host "Share-a-thons" to work with Virginia Higher Education Center, Governor McDonnell's Commission on Virginia teachers to share and develop Systemic Solutions at Northern Virginia Higher Education Reform, Innovation and lab activities that are cost effective, rep- Community College the Virginia Space Investment and the 'Top Jobs' legislation licable, scalable, and may involve pub- Grant Consortium and others. u to better align higher education and busi- lic/private partnerships in Abingdon, ness leaders in increasing degree access Manassas, Richmond and Hampton for jobs of the future. 2 centerline FALL FALL 2011 RSI 2011 - Hosted Seventy-Seven “Science, like democracy, is not built on hopes of human Top Achieving Scholars at MIT perfection but on an acknowl- edgement of human fallibility.” ~ Benjamin Franklin • Dr. Forrest Michael, RSI ‘90 of the University of Washington - Chemistry • Mr. Lance Rhoades of the University of Washington – Humanities • Ms. Rebekah Rogers, RSI ’01 of Harvard University – Biology • Dr. Christopher Skinner, RSI ‘88 of Princeton University - Math • Dr. Sam Waldman, RSI ‘94 of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Physics