Conor Carroll

I started teaching in 2015, fresh out of a physics program at UC Berkeley. While I love teaching moments -- and those "Ah ha!" moments with students -- I like to stay active with research to make sure I am staying up to date with the most current advances in science. Especially as those can be extremely interesting phenomena that high schoolers are certainly capable of dipping their toes into. This is a way for you to keep your scientist brain sharp; when you are confronted with an area of science that is new to you, it's a different way of thinking than with your pedagogy-brain. And seeing how research can be distilled into a meaningful day-long task can be helpful for envisioning how meaningful science tasks can be implemented in high school curriculum.

Scientists have all different kinds of journeys to where they are. Taking scientists off the pedestal (or out of the ivory tower) can make it seem that much more achievable for our students on how they can become scientists themselves.

Fun fact:  I like to knit (including sweaters for any dogs in my life - see below).