2011 - 12 GK12 Fellows
Phillip Anderson (panders@bu.edu)
Fenway High School
Headmaster: Dr. Peggy Kemp
Teacher: George Papayannis
Phillip Anderson is a fifth year Ph.D. student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Boston University. His research focuses on the dynamics of single bubbles and bubble clouds in water in a high-pressure acoustic resonator. Prior to his time at Boston University, Phillip received a B.S. in Physics at Mississippi State University. Previous teaching experience includes teaching multiple laboratory courses, tutoring for the physics department, and helping his many siblings with their homework. Phillip is working with George Papayannis at Fenway High School for the fall semester. Focus is on the 9th grade physics class, with occasional visits to 10th grade chemistry. Phillip does not particularly enjoy long walks on the beach, but he does enjoy building things and collecting new hobbies.
For more information on Phillip's teaching activities at Fenway, please click here
Michael Friedman (mfriedm@bu.edu)
School: English High School
Headmaster: Dr. Sito Narcisse
Teacher: Sam Ribnick
Michael Friedman is a second year graduate student in the Physics program at Boston University. He has recently started working with Raj Mohanty's group conducting research on biosensing, particularly the ultrasensitive detection of cancer markers. During the Spring semester, Michael will be working at English High School with Physics teacher Sam Ribnick, where he will bring in demonstrations, work with both struggling and advanced students, and expose the students to recent advances in Physics as they relate to their current studies.
For more information on Michael's teaching activities at English, please click here.
Gordana Garapic (gsiftar@bu.edu)
School: English High School
Headmaster: Dr. Sito Narcisse
Teacher: Dr. Becca Lewis
Gordana Garapic is a fifth year graduate student in the Earth Science Department working in Professor Ulrich Faul's research group. They are studying geometry of melt in the Earth’s mantle. Their most recent contribution, together with Scientific Visualization Group at BU, is the 3-D reconstruction of melt geometry in the Earth’s upper mantle from the 2-D slices of synthetically produced partially molten olivine, a simplified representative of the Earth’s upper mantle rock. For her research, Gordana uses a piston cylinder apparatus in Professor Faul’s high pressure lab, a scanning electron microscope, and image processing software. She is also conducting field-work in Bosnia taking samples of rocks that were once part of the Earth’s mantle. These rocks are approximately 160 million years old and were uplifted and exposed on the surface during the closure of the Tethys ocean.
Gordana received her BSc and MSc in Geology at the University of Zagreb. Her previous teaching experience includes teaching labs for freshman-level geology, sophomore-level optical mineralogy, and junior-level structural geology and mineralogy at both University of Zagreb and Boston University. She also has 20+ years of experience tutoring math to a range of grades. At English High School, she assisted Dr. Rebecca Lewis in teaching junior and senior students chemistry, AP chemistry and biology preparation for MCAS exam.
She enjoys hiking, rock-climbing and watching movies. She is also an avid cyclist, riding her bike around Boston all year round.
For more information on Gordana's teaching activities at English, please click here
Ted Pudlik(tpudlik@bu.edu)
Fenway High School
Headmaster: Dr. Peggy Kemp
Teacher: George Papayannis
Ted Pudlik is a second-year graduate student of Physics at Boston University. A member of the Goldberg group, he investigates the two-dimensional carbon crystal known as graphene. This recently discovered material is transparent and flexible yet stronger than steel and more conductive than copper. The Goldberg group studies its mechanical and electrical properties, as well as techniques for its synthesis.
Within GK12, Ted works with the 9th grade Physics class of George Papayannis at Fenway High School. The objective of their partnership is to engage the students more deeply with the subject by showing them science through practitioners' eyes. To this end, Ted is developing demonstrations, research projects and other activities which will introduce students to areas of contemporary interest, such as optics or renewable energy.
For more information on Ted's teaching activities at Fenway, please click here
Nathan Rycroft (rycroft@bu.edu)
School: English High School
Headmaster: Dr. Sito Narcisse
Teacher: Dr. Becca Lewis
Nathan Rycroft is a third year Ph.D. candidate in the Marine Program at Boston University. Nathan is an alumni of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia where he dual-majored in Oceanography and Biology. Nathan's research interests have been focused on decapod crustaceans. Nathan's Ph.D. research is focused on the population structure of the American lobster in New England waters using genetic, behavioral, and morphological analyses. He is partnered with Dr. Rebecca Lewis at Boston English High School teaching chemistry and biology to tenth through twelfth graders. Nathan is also leading the school's National Ocean Sciences Bowl team which will compete at the regional event at MIT in February. He will also be mentoring students completing science fair projects. Nathan will be using his oceanographic and biological backgrounds to help students connect chemistry lessons to other scientific phenomena.
For more information on Nathan's teaching activities at English, please click here
James Silva (jbsilva@bu.edu)
School: English High School
Headmaster: Dr. Sito Narcisse
Teacher: Sam Ribnick
James Silva is a 3rd year PhD student in physics at Boston University. He works under Professor William Klein on theoretical condensed matter physics. In this group he explores how damage in materials changes their properties by using Monte Carlo simulations and other stochastic methods to guide understanding of models of materials. As a GK-12 fellow his work included planning curriculum with Mr. Ribnick and aiding the application of course plans as well as providing feedback to adjust to student response. This work also included working in groups and individual to execute differentiated learning with students on both sides of course proficiency. His GK-12 experience culminated in integrating the Scratch programming language to reinforce and teach concepts in one/two dimensional motion as well as providing exposure to programming which is a skill many working scientist learn to execute their research plans.
For more information on James's teaching activities at English, please click here