The Old Blogger Gets an Award

I'm humbled to tell you that the nation's science teachers have given me an award -- the 2013 Faraday Award for Science Communication. Given each year by the National Science Teachers' Association, this award recognizes "an individual who has inspired and elevated the public’s interest in science."

Among previous winners are Ira Flatow, the host of NPR's Science Friday show, and astronomy educator Dennis Schatz, my good friend and the Vice President of the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.

What's especially wonderful is that the award is named for Michael Faraday, the 19th-century British physicist who discovered the relationship between electricity and magnetism, and was one of the greatest communicators of science in history. That's his picture on a British bank-note. Faraday is someone I have admired for a long time (and I am not alone -- Einstein had a picture of him on the wall of his study!) Among other things, Faraday spoke out forcefully for the importance of science education in our lives and for skeptical thinking about paranormal and psychic claims. What an honor to be associated with his name.

I'm accepting the award Friday night at the annual conference of the National Science Teachers Association in Texas.

You can read the full story of the award here:http://www.foothill.edu/news/newsfmt.php?sr=2&rec_id=2999

Here is a favorite quote from Faraday: “[A] lecturer should give the audience full reason to believe that all his powers have been exerted for their pleasure and instruction.”

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