President's Message I am honored to serve as your president. It is hard to believe how much has changed this past year, but some things remain the same, that is NESTA's commitment to you, our members. As for me, my commitment to the organization goes back over 20 years as a member and since 2006 I have held various roles on the Board. It is my hope that we can continue to strengthen NESTA over the second year of my term, to build our reputation as the source for ESS resources as we navigate new paradigms and teaching practices during the third decade of the 21st Century. | President Dr. Rick Jones Kapolei, HI University of Hawai'i West O'ahu, Professor Science Education Prior Profession: 7-12 Science Teacher (Retired). MS-ES, Health, Life Sci, Physical Sci HS - ES, Bio, Physics Expertise: Favorite: Topographic Mapping & Geologic Mapping Love teaching weather & climate Accomplishments: El Nino/La Nina Research—1998 & 2010 NOAA Teacher-at-Sea aboard the Ka'imimoana Global Climate Change Research—2000 "Teacher Experiencing Antarctica at the South Pole" w/ University of Washington & Idaho Field Geologist w/ Mercy Corps—Sudan 1986 putting water wells & water utilities for refugee camps I worked in a gold mine in the late 1970's and discovered a career that, while exploitive in nature, was interesting, exciting, and very profitable. I decided to get a Geology degree and then work in the oil business to make even more money. The economy didn't allow that, I ended up working in environmental geology and groundwater geology and realized that making money wasn't really a goal that made me happy, but to have the ability to provide others a little bit of knowledge about the Earth could go a long way to making the planet a better place. So I went back to school and I have taught "The Earth" ever since. |
Past President Belinda Jacobs Pflugerville, TX MS & HS Science Teacher (16 yrs) Applied Aquatic Science/Environmental Systems CC Adjunct geology instructor Expertise: Accomplishments: 2016 Outstanding ES Teacher—Texas Curriculum developer—NSF-funded DIG Texas Blueprints project Sitting at the Grand Canyon, still reminiscing on the wonders of ES | Treasurer Howard Dimmick Ft. Collins, CO (((Current Profession))) Prior Profession: Expertise: (((something here)) | Board Member Representative to the Executive Committee Tom Ervin LeClaire, IA Grand Old Man of NESTA Prior Profession: Expertise: Accomplishments: My 8th grade science teacher (Mr. Fox) instilled in me a love for Earth science, and I attempted to follow his example. Dr. Robert Yager, past president of NSTA, was my mentor and showed me that service within the science education profession was within my reach. |
President - Elect Murrieta, CA High School ES & Physics Teacher (12 yrs) Prior Profession: Expertise: Accomplishments Creating / Curating NESTA's Twitter Account On a whim, I changed my major from Architecture to Geology. Since 6th grade I had my own fashion sense of plaid shirts w/ shorts. I walked into my Mineralogy course & low behold the class was full of like-fashion-minded people... I had found my peeps | Secretary Missy Holzer Somerset, NJ (((Current Profession))) Prior Profession: Expertise: (((something here)) | Board Member Representative to the Executive Committee Parker O. Pennington IV Ann Arbor, MI NESTA & MESTA Board / e-News Editor / Rock Raffle Specialist (35 yrs) Prior Profession: Expertise: Leading Summer field conferences Presented w/ my 9th grade ES teacher (Dave Mastie) at conferences for decades ES workshops—various levels MI state supervisor MSO rock, mineral & fossil event (20 years) My grandfather taught in my district, my dad taught Conservation in my district. Both my brother and I became ES teachers--just seemed like the thing to do. |
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