Noyce Scholar Profile
Adam Wilson
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Chemistry
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Chemistry, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Fifth year or post-baccalaureate Noyce scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
University of Tennessee
Current academic or teaching status:
First-Year Teacher
School and school district:
Central High School
Background:
I graduated from Virginia Tech in 2003 where I played football and rugby for the school. Following graduation, I was commissioned as an officer in the US Navy. I served four years on active duty, and my home port was in San Diego, CA. My last three years in San Diego were spent as a campus minister at San Diego State as a member of the El Cajon Church of Christ. My beautiful wife Jenna was kind enough, perhaps bold enough, to move across country so I could partake of this opportunity to become a teacher.
Why do you want to teach:
I am passionate about children becoming successful and being able to follow their dreams. I feel as though chemistry is an excellent tool for teaching people how to think logically and in steps. I think equipping my students with these skills will aid them in everything they choose to pursue in life.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
While teaching an Honor Chemistry I course, my students and I replicated the experiments (via computer simulations) that led to the discovery of the subatomic particles. After observing the phenomena, the students had to figure out what it meant. It was great to see them wrestle with the process and ultimately triumph in understanding it. I was proud of them!
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has been invaluable to my family in allowing us to transition careers. The financial strain that would have otherwise been placed on my family would have possibly delayed my entry into teaching. It also gave me access to the top-notch resource of the University of Tennessee.
