AREE+Team

Shaun Smith is the AREE project manager and the Education Flight Projects Specialist for NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. He has taught high school chemistry, biology, earth science, and algebra; furthermore, he coached high school soccer and volleyball. He worked as an environmental chemist and wine chemist in the Central Coast, CA, plays volleyball, enjoys hiking, the stock market and online gaming. He plans on developing an online game to be accessed via cell phones, develop a website addressing the multi-million dollar gaming industry, and consistently earn a 10% return on his portfolio. || Vikki Costa is the Faculty Advisor for AREE and Director of Science Education at California State University Fullerton. She has taught high school and university chemistry, biology, mathematics, and science education for 27 years. She has ridden a camel in Egypt, published a book on //Secrets to Success for Science Teachers.// Her favorite science tool has always been the periodic table, but the NASA DC-8 flying laboratory is a close second. || Terry Nickerson is an Environmental Science and Biology teacher in Colorado and a twenty year veteran of teaching High School Sciences. He has taught all science subjects at the high school levle, including gifted and Talented Science. Fourteen years of his teaching career has been teaching in the Native American community, including a stint on the Hopi reservation. Prior to becoming a teacher, ITerry spent eight years as a professional field archaeologist, paleontologist, and quatenary geologist. || John Burns is a seventh grade teacher in Chino, CA. He is a NBCT Early Adolescent Science since 2002. His favorite places to be with family include Lassen Peak and Matterhorn Canyon Yosemite National Park. ||
 * = AREE MASTER TEACHERS ||
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 * [[image:DSC_0308.JPG width="110" height="85" align="left"]]Rayda Santrach currently teaches high school math and science in Chino, California. She also has taught college level computer and calculus courses. For 2.5 years, she was Math Department Chair at St. Michael's Academy in Austin, Texas. She had ridden a camel in Egypt, taught chemistry in Russia, and given flute lessons in Turkey where she lived for 1.5 years. Her passions include geometry, astronomy, telescope making, and aviation--she has logged time in a 747. Her favorite science tool and time travel device is the telescope--especially her homemade 8 inch Dobsonian! ||
 * [[image:John_Winchester_2.jpg width="95" height="71" align="left"]]John Winchester teaches AP, honors and regular Physics in Florida. He has been teaching for 3 years, is a retired aerospace engineer and a former Olympic archery coach for Guatemala. He has lived in 10 different countries, is a private pilot and an avid motorcyclist. He brings his broad professional experience to his classes and tries to emphasize the practical and diverse applications of science to his students. ||
 * [[image:turtle1small.jpg align="left"]]David McDonald, one fourth of the science department in his Montana High School, teaches Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Physical Science and others sciences as needed. He has worked at growing non-integer crystals, explored using giant red variable stars as an astronomy distance measuring tool, and worked as part of the Star Formation in Lynds Dark Nebulae Spitzer Space telescope Education team which found 16 Young Stellar Object candidates in Lynds Clouds 425 and 981.He has been a semi-pro tsuka-maki shi (Japanese sword hilt wrapper) and collector of Japanese swords for over 25 years. The picture is of a tsuba (Japanese sword hand guard) over 425 years old made by the artisan Takakuni. ||
 * [[image:mizreid-lg.jpg width="91" height="73" align="left"]]Diane M. Reid teaches sixth and seventh grade students in Moses Lake, Washington. She has taught upper elementary (Highly Capable program), middle school (science, applied science, math, health, Language Arts) and community college (preschool/parenting programs) for 20 years, with additional “time off” to raise her family. She served as building 7th grade Coordinator for the English Language Learners (ELL) and Migrant (MIG) programs as well as liaison to the district ESL/MIG programs for 7 years. Diane is a member of the Washington State Science Assessment Leadership Team and has been very involved with the development of the state assessment tool (Grade 8) and in the recent revision of the Washington State Science Standards (Grades 5-8 band). "Eyes" are her favorite science tool and although they now need glasses, her eyes still effectively assist her observing and recording. ||
 * Edith ‘Ed[[image:rsz_edondeck2.jpg width="98" height="92" align="left"]]ie’ Kort teaches high school math at a career and technical high school located southeast of Buffalo NY. She was on the faculty of Nazareth College of Rochester where she taught math and computer science; she directed a Math, Science and Computer summer camp for elementary and middle school girls, she has taught at the SummerMath program for students at Mt. Holyoke College, and worked as a computer specialist. She loves to travel and spends several weeks each summer visiting her son and college-age daughters in Montana and Colorado. ||
 * [[image:SDavis_in_Ireland_with_Robin_&_Breda's_Dog.jpg width="95" height="137" align="left"]] Sherry Davis is a 9th grade biology teacher in Tupelo, Mississippi and a NBCT in Early Adolescent Science since 2002. She has served as a mentor to other NBCT candidates ever since. Previously she taught 7th and 8th grade science at the middle school level. A life-long learner, Sherry loves to travel and participate in learning projects. In previous summers she has voyaged on a Naval Oceanographic Research Vessel from Gulfport, Ms to Salem, Mass. studying bathymetry, dug peat moss down to the permafrost to monitor thaw levels in Manitoba with Earthwatch, studied conservation with Buddhist monks in Thailand through Dragonfly Workshop, signed a space shuttle engine at Stennis, snorkeled with Manatees and zodiaked with Beluga whales. Canoeing across Crater Lake is still on her "to do" list. ||
 * [[image:europe3061small.jpg width="124" height="105" align="left"]]Joy-Lyn McDonald is another one-fourth of the Science Department in her school in eastern Montana. She has taught multiple topics in science, math, and English through the years. (Science has more toys!) Her peak accomplishments include climbing Mount Fuji, doing spectroscopy of variable stars on Kitt Peak, and climbing a certain mound in England. Dramatic pursuits have included coaching speech and drama for 14 years, being an active EMT for 21 years, raising two children, and teaching. ||
 * [[image:758635012505.jpg width="160" height="118" align="left"]]After having taught high school mathematics and engineering at a small public high school in Manhattan, Rachael Fein just completed a Master's degree program in STEM Education in Boston, MA. With her belongings in storage, Rachael moved to sunny California for the summer before returning to the East Coast. Upon her return, she will be teaching 8th grade mathematics at a small 6-12 public school. When not in the classroom, Rachael enjoys many outdoor activities, including biking, sailing, hiking and bbq-ing! ||