Laura Lawrence Asheville, NC | 7-12, Science, 2017

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Laura Lawrence has been a science educator for 16 years, beginning her career at Hendersonville High School, and serving students and fellow teachers for the past 12 years at Asheville School. She currently teaches 11th and 12th-grade Physics. In addition to teaching, Laura serves as Asheville School’s Director of Professional Development, sharing her enthusiasm for continued professional growth and reflection. She supports teacher growth by building cohorts of colleagues who thrive on the exchange of ideas and by designing meaningful in-service opportunities for the faculty. Laura is a member of the American Modeling Teachers Association. She aims to create transformative learning experiences for her students, by using modeling resources and pedagogy, and a standards-based grading system. Her class is lab-based and student-centered. She prioritizes depth over breadth, as well as focusing on problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Laura earned a M.Ed. with a focus on instructional technology at Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis, a B.S. in biology education at Southern Illinois University, and an A.S. at Wabash Valley College. She is a certified in secondary science, and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Asheville School awarded her the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Teaching Chair and the William C. Hutchins Mastership Award.

• High-resolution version of the official portrait photograph
• Awardee holding Presidential certificate with National Science Foundation Directorate for Education and Human Resources Assistant Director, Dr. Karen Marrongelle, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director, Dr. Kelvin K. Droegemeier, and National Science Foundation Chief Operating Officer, Dr. F. Fleming Crim
• High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

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