John Tietjen

Lebanon, NH | 7-12, Science, 2021

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

Good teaching helps make the world a brighter place for young people. Science education is empowering, and it provides great opportunities to students. In addition, learning is fun, and the world is a fascinating place. Intellectual curiosity is infectious, and the spirit of inquiry is exhilarating. I want to share the joy that I find in learning and introduce students to the STEM community. There is always a new challenge in science, and there is always a new challenge in teaching.

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

Every time my students engage with the broader scientific community, it reaffirms the importance and impact of my work as a science teacher. This happens whenever I see students arguing with each other about a procedure or calculation in the lab. It happens when students share their enthusiasm about a challenge with rivals at a tournament. When students are presenting their research to science fair judges or explaining their ideas to scientist mentors, I recognize that my role in creating those opportunities has been important. It is also particularly meaningful when a student cites experiences which I helped to provide them with as a reason they chose to continue to study STEM.

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

I will advocate for the preservation of our nation’s existing education infrastructure, and for its continuous improvement. America’s educational institutions are a national treasure. We have a responsibility not only to innovate and adapt wisely, but to recognize the value of what we inherit. The responsible stewardship and advancement of our nation’s legacy of STEM leadership will depend on leveraging the work of our forebears.

Biography

John Tietjen is a chemistry teacher at Lebanon High School, where he has taught chemistry and physical science classes to students in grades 9-12 for the last 11 years. John began his 21-year career teaching chemistry and physics at Robert A. Long High School in Longview, Washington. John’s students regularly engage with novel research, engineering, and laboratory challenges both during class time and outside of class. His work as a Science Olympiad coach, community STEM event organizer, and research project mentor, allows his students to connect meaningfully with the greater scientific community. John was recognized by the New Hampshire Society of Professional Engineers as STEM Educator Of The Year in 2021. John has collaborated extensively with the New Hampshire Academy of Science to help students learn science through research. His work on a variety of research projects at Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire has informed his instructional practice. His students have synthesized metal organic frameworks that capture carbon dioxide and successfully deployed recoverable high altitude research platforms to over 100,000 feet. John earned a B.S. in secondary science education from Montana State University, and an M.Ed. in educational leadership from George Washington University. John holds certifications in chemistry, physical science, and curriculum administration.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

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