Noyce Scholar Profile
Paul Barnard
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Chemistry/Biology
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Chemistry/Biology/Physics
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Fifth year or post-baccalaureate Noyce scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
University of Iowa
Current academic or teaching status:
2nd Year MAT Candidate
School and school district:
Clear Creek Amana High School
Background:
I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Science in Chemistry from Creighton University and Bachelor’s in Neurobiology from the University of Iowa. I started working in a lab when I was 18 years old and worked fairly consitently in labs from Nebraska to Texas and back to Iowa. I’ve done everything from EPA chemistry to physiology to pharmacology to DNA microstructures to nanoscaled electrodes.
Why do you want to teach:
To make kids understand there is this continum from basic science (knowledge acquisition) to engineering/medicine (application). You can’t have the applications without the knowledge and the cutting of the basic science will hurt us some time down the road.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
I did a little modeling exercise where the students were electrons and I had “orbitals” marked out where they would go to fill the shells. The trouble makers who sat there normally and make comments/not pay attention that day for some reason became the leaders.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program gave me the oppurtunity to leave one career path and start without question a career change I wouldn’t have thought of taking.
