Directors
CESaME Co-Director
John Keller, Ph. D.
(805) 756-2095
jmkeller@calpoly.edu
Building 52, Room E14
Dr. John Keller is an Assistant Professor in the Physics Department at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. After obtaining a BS in Biology and an MA in Education from Stanford University, Dr. Keller taught high school science at Los Altos High School in the Bay Area for five years. He then completed an MS in Astrophysics from the University of Colorado before working as a program coordinator at an astronomy education center for middle school students in Idyllwild, California. Finally, Dr. Keller completed his PhD in Planetary Science at the University of Arizona where he worked for the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission. His dissertation work involved the development of a concept inventory instrument to uncover student misconceptions regarding the greenhouse effect. Dr. Keller focuses his efforts at Cal Poly on astronomy education research and recruitment, preparation, and retention of secondary science teachers. He is the director for both the Science Teacher and Researcher (STAR) program and the Cal Poly Science Noyce Scholars Program.Email Dr. Keller at jmkeller@calpoly.edu .
CESaME Co-Director
Chance Hoellwarth, Ph. D.
(805) 756-1665
choellwa@calpoly.edu
Building 52, Room E13
Dr. Chance Hoellwarth is an Associate Professor of Physics at Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo. He received his doctorate in experimental Condensed Matter physics from UC Davis. Since arriving at Cal Poly, Dr. Hoellwarth has been involved in reforming introductory physics courses for both science and non-science majors, mostly in the studio environment. Over the last ten years, Dr. Hoellwarth has been involved in teacher education at Cal Poly. He has advised and supervised student teachers; and grant from the Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) that has begun to develop a program that will provide an education for future teachers that emphasizes a student-centered, hands-on, inquiry-based approach to learning science and was instrumental in bring the Teacher-in-Residence (local high school teacher) to the College of Science and Mathematics.
Learn By Doing Lab Program Director
Seth Bush, Ph. D.
(805) 756-2746
sbush@calpoly.edu
Building 25, Room 127
Dr. Seth Bush is an Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department at Cal Poly specializing in Chemical Education. He is also a CESaME faculty member and one of the K-12 science content educators who teach and participate in science teacher education and credential programs at Cal Poly. Dr. Bush has a B.S. in Chemistry from Reed College and a Ph. D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. During 2008, Dr. Bush was the faculty liaison for the STAR pilot program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and continued as a Cal Poly faculty liaison during the 2008 implementation of this program. In this role, he collaborated on an ongoing basis with LLNL and other CSU campuses, particularly those in the Bay Area, in planning, recruitment, student selection, placement and housing. He also contributed significantly with post-internship follow-up, continuing regular communications with the participants and assisting to implement the matched-pair comparison evaluation design. In addition, Dr. Bush is the Co-Director of Central Coast Science Project, which is part of a statewide program providing teacher professional development in the teaching of science, and he is a Co-PI for the Teacher Retention Initiative, sponsored by the California postsecondary Education Commission, which is establishing a professional learning community for in-service science teachers in the Santa Maria-Bonita school district.
STAR Program Director
Bryan Rebar, Ph. D.
(805) 756-2875
brebar@calpoly.edu
Building 52, Room E15
Dr. Bryan Rebar is the Program Director for STAR. Dr. Rebar received his Ph.D. in Environmental Science with a specialty in Science Education at Oregon State University. Throughout his career Dr. Rebar has always been interested in teaching that at once captivates learners and portrays authentic science. As such, Dr. Rebar’s research focuses on how teachers take advantage of visits to museums to create learning opportunities for their students. Dr. Rebar has considerable experience working to support teachers through professional development. Dr. Rebar has also supported teachers in the role of program director for a residential science education center for visiting school children in California. Dr. Rebar began his career in education as a naturalist at another residential center in northern Minnesota where he taught visiting school age students in an outdoor setting.