Although I had been involved in various forms of educational leadership for my entire teaching career, winning the Presidential Award bumped my game to a whole new level. It connected me to a much wider circle of amazing educators and scientists who enhanced my personal growth as a science educator, as well as opening up many opportunities to become engaged in educational leadership at the national level. It was truly a life-changing event for me.

Bryan Aivazian Casper, WY | 7-12, Science, 1996

Bryan L. Aivazian has taught science at the secondary level for over 20 years in California and Wyoming. When he received the Presidential Award in 1997, he was teaching ninth grade Earth Science at East Junior High School in Casper, WY. In addition to his science classes over the years he has also coached many teams for Odyssey of the Mind and First Robotics. Outside of the classroom, Bryan has also been involved in conducting teacher training workshops at the local level and through the national level. From 2001 through 2006, Bryan was on special assignment while he served as Co-Principal Investigator for two National Science Foundation projects – each promoting the development of content and community for the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE). Bryan was also asked to serve on a dozen science education review panels for the National Science Foundation and NASA. In 1997, Bryan was awarded a Christa McAuliffe Fellowship. Since retirement in 2018, Bryan has been completing fossil recovery and preparation for the Tate Geological Museum at Casper College. In 2019, he began working as the Wyoming Transplant Science Educator for Donor Alliance working with students around the state. Bryan has a B.A. in anthropology from Fresno State College, an M.A. in anthropology from the University of Colorado, a B.A. in secondary science education from the University of Wyoming, and is "all but dissertation" for a doctorate in Secondary Science Education Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wyoming. He is certified to teach biology, chemistry, earth science, and anthropology at the secondary level.

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