Claire Pichette Helena, MT | 7-12, Science, 2017

The official biography below was current at the time of the award. For this awardee's latest biographical information, see their profile page.

Claire Pichette has been a science teacher at Helena High School for the past 11 years. She currently teaches Project Lead the Way Principles of Biomedical Sciences, which is an elective for grades 9-12, and Biology I for 10th-grade students. As a coach for the school’s science Olympiad and Envirothon teams, Claire enjoys helping students prepare to compete at state and national levels. Her favorite activities involve getting outdoors in the field to learn and teach about Montana’s natural resources and management. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, Claire has worked with researchers from Montana Tech and the Clark Fork Watershed Education Program to help students learn about bacteriophages and how they can be used to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial diseases such as tuberculosis. This opportunity has provided students with real-life, hands-on scientific research experience and exposure to graduate-level laboratory science in the classroom. Claire earned a B.A., cum laude, in biological sciences from Willamette University and a B.S. in biological sciences and secondary education from Montana State University. She is certified in broad field science and health professions—therapeutics.

• 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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