Scientists and engineers from around the world are doing amazing things!
Link to lesson ideas for how to use the resources below.
- Miguel Alcubierre - physical science/physics, speed of light - PS2, PS3, PS4, ETS1 (Mexico)
- Alejandro Corichi - physical science/physics, gravity - PS2, PS3, ESS1 (Mexico)
- Mario Molina - physical science/chemistry, environmental - PS1, ESS3 (Mexico)
- Alfredo Alvarado Hernández - earth science, soil science/sustainabilty - ESS2, ESS3, ESS1, ETS1 (Costa Rica)
Dr. Miguel Alcubierre - Theoretical Physicist
DCI Physical Science
PS2 Motion and stability: Forces and interactions
PS3 Energy
PS4 Waves and application
ETS1 Engineering design
Country: MEXICO
Bio and Projects:
Miguel likes to look at questions about how a spaceship could travel faster than the speed of light, and think about time/space ‘bubbles’ in outer space! He works at the University of Mexico.
Contact:
Phone: 5622-4739 ext. 2253 Email: malcubi@nucleares.unam.mx
What inspired me to go into science?
“I was always a very curious child from an early age, and was also very good at math. I started reading science fiction when I was about 12 years old. I also discovered at about the same time that I loved books about astronomy, and I read all the ones I could find at my school. I wanted to understand and learn everything I could about the planets, the Sun and the stars. Later I learned that all, or at least most, astronomers first study physics, so I became a physicist. And, I fell in love with the ideas and theories of Einstein.”
Children Text Resources
Image of the Alcubierre warp drive concept
Books for children about time travel (grades 4-6)
Another list of time travel books (grades K-6)
Videos
Interview w/ Dr. Alcubierre on Once Noticias (Spanish)
Teacher Materials
Links for teaching about space (mostly 3-5, some lower)
Lesson plan (9-12) about going faster than the speed of light (from PBS)
Dr. Alejandro Corichi - Theoretical Physicist
DCI Physical Science PS2 Motion and stability: Forces and interactions
PS3 Energy
ESS1 Earth's Place in the Universe
Country: MEXICO
Bio and Projects:
Alejandro Corichi is a theoretical physicist working at the Quantum Gravity group of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). His field of study is General Relativity and Quantum Gravity, where he has contributed to the understanding of classical aspects of black holes, to the non-commutativity and black holes within the approach known as loop quantum gravity and to loop quantum cosmology. In other words, he studies gravity and black holes!
Contact:
Phone: +52 (55) 5623-2769/2732, Email: corichi@matmor.unam.mx
What inspired me to go into science?
“When I entered College I went into science (physics) because I wanted to understand how the world functions. Then I understood that, for a career in science, I needed to study more (and get a PhD) and that I could actually get paid for answering questions that nobody has answered before. I have been doing so for many years, and is very satisfying.”
Children Text Resources
Gravity, by Jason Chin (who also illustrates his beautiful books!)
Why Can't I Jump Very High? A Book about Gravity, by Kamal S. Prasad
I Fall Down, by Vicki Cobb (who has lots of kid's science books)
A Black Hole Is Not a Hole, by Carolyn Cinami Decristofano
Videos
Is Gravity an Illusion? from PBS Digital Studios
Recreate Gravity in Your Own Home, from HowStuffWorks (gets into "Space Time")
Hank (SciShow) explains the science behind recent reports that physics great Stephen Hawking said "there are no black holes." There are. They're just complicated.
Teacher Materials
The role of Mexican folklore in teaching and learning, by Dayna Durbin Gleaves
Gravity related lesson plans curated by the Utah Education Network
Gravity and Falling Objects, lesson from PBS Learning Media
Dr. Mario Molina - Chemist
DCI Physical Science
PS1 Matter and Its Interactions
ESS3 Earth and Human Activity
Country: MEXICO
Bio and Projects:
Mario Molina studies the chemistry of the ozone layer. He was one of the first scientists to discover the hole in the ozone layer in the Arctic. In 1995, he was a co-recipient of the Noble Prize in chemistry for his work showing that chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases damaged the ozone layer. He was the first person born in Mexico to receive a Nobel Prize in chemistry. He now works as a professor at the University of California-San Diego. He also serves as a climate policy advisor to the Mexican President.
Contact:
Phone: 858-534-1696 Email: mjmolina@ucsd.edu
What inspired me to go into science?
“..the planet is just too small for these developing countries to repeat the economic growth in the same way that the rich countries have done it in the past. We don't have enough natural resources, we don't have enough atmosphere. Clearly, something has to change.” ― Mario J. Molina (from Good Reads site)
Children Text Resources
Biography of Dr. Molina - Mario Molina: Chemist and Nobel Prize Winner(3rd to 6th grade)
The Ozone Layer, by Patricia Armentrout, 1996 (4th grade+)
Book coming out in 2018, by Elizabeth Rusch - Mario and the Hole in the Sky
Videos
Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient - video of Dr. Mario Molina talking about receiving the honor
Antarctic Ozone Layer is Healing - CNN Video from 2016
Teacher Materials
How Stuff Works - reading on "How the Ozone Layer Works" (5th grade+)
NASA's Ozone Page - latest news and information
Dr. Alfredo Alvarado Hernández - Soil Scientist
DCI Physical Science
ESS2 Earth's Systems
ESS3 Earth and Human Activity
ESS1 Earth's Place in the Universe
ETS1 Engineering design
Country: COSTA RICA
Bio and Projects:
Dr. Hernandez studies the soil of tropical rain forests. He is working on keeping the earth sustainable. He believes we can conserve our natural resources better than we are today and work toward sustainable food security in Latin America. He is a professor emeritus from the University of Costa Rica.
Contact:
Phone: 2511-2084, Email: alfredo.alvarado@ucr.ac.cr
Children Text Resources
Life in a Bucket of Soil, by Alvin and Virginia Silverstein
Exploring the tropical rain forest - internet-based reading resource for kids, from MO Botanical Garden
The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry (about the rain forest)
Videos
Information on a career as a soil scientist
Video describing new maps of major soil types in Costa Rica (Spanish)
Bill Nye "Rocks and Soil" - classic Bill Nye video on the official website
Soil song w/ words and graphics on slides from a 6th grade teacher
Teacher Materials
The Dirt on Soil - background information and lessons on soil from Kids Discover
Soils 4 Teachers - lessons and information for teachers
USDA - National Resources Conservation Service - Soils information page