Richard Jones

Billings, MT | 7-12, Science, 1996

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

When I went back to school and picked up a BS in Secondary Science Education, and a Masters in Natural Science, I managed a science-teaching lab and provided hands-on/minds-on science outreach to rural and reservation elementary schools around the state of Wyoming. These experiences helped me understand that Science and STEM are a process, a way of knowing, a "verb" that has the ability to transform lives, so much more than the dry old "noun" that many students experience in the classroom.

What has been the most transformative moment that affirmed your impact on STEM education?

After earning my BS in Geology, I found myself between jobs and ended up working for an NGO in the Sudan in the mid 80’s working to develop and deliver safe and stable drinking water in several refugee camps. Due to the extreme nature of the environment, drilling and building water distribution systems was sometimes but on hold and by default, I became part of the health and sanitation instructor team. This new role allowed me to understanding for the first time how a little education can have life changing impacts on someone…myself included.

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

Science and STEM are dynamic and provide multiple pathways to the future that allows students to be successful personally and professionally. Building and strengthening STEM Education is building building a better future for everyone.

Biography

Richard "Rick" Jones has been an educator for over 30 years, spending the last 11 teaching Science Methods, Meteorology, Oceanography, and Geology at the University of Hawaii West Oahu. He previously taught middle school and high school in Billings, MT, and Lihue, HI. He was awarded for secondary science in 1996 while teaching at Billings Senior High School. Rick's love of learning and teaching focuses on helping students discover that science is a verb as well as the noun they often find in the textbook. He incorporates 3D printing and design, coding, robotics, and drone piloting into his science and science methods courses, where students experience the project-based science and science teaching steeped in the Three Dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards. Additionally, Rick is honored to bring one of his own mentors, Art Kimura, 1983 Presidential Awardee, in to present engaging hands-on/minds-on science to his students. Always a strong supporter of science education, Rick has held multiple leadership roles at both state and national teaching associations. Serving as President of the MSTA (Montana), President of HaSTA (Hawaii), President of National Earth Science Teachers Association, NSTA District XV & District XVI Director, and NSTA Board Member. Rick earned a B.S. in geology, a B.S. in secondary science education, and an M.S. in natural science from The University of Wyoming and his Ed.D. in science education from Montana State University-Bozeman. He was one of the first two National Board Certified Adolescence and Young Adulthood science teachers in Montana and was recognized by Montana State University Billings for Excellence in Teaching and more recently by the University of Hawaii as a Board of Regents Award of Excellence in Teaching Medal Awardee.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

The views expressed in awardee profiles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF or the PAEMST program.