Chris Chiaverina holds an M.S.Ed. in physics from Northern Illinois University. He recently retired from high school physics teaching after 34 years in the classroom. He spent the last decade of his teaching career at New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL where he served as director of The Connections Project, an initiative that employs interactive exhibits to demonstrate linkages among the arts, mathematics, and science. He now provides workshops for physics teachers to enhance their classroom techniques and their students' learning experience.
Chiaverina has written articles on physics education for a variety of journals, is co-author of four textbooks, and is a member of the editorial board of The Physics Teacher magazine. In 1997, The American Association of Physics Teachers presented him with its Award for Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching. In 2002, Chiaverina served as President of the American Association of Physic Teachers. He is currently editor of Arbor Scientific’s CoolStuff online newsletter and The Physics Teacher magazine’s “Little Gems” column. He is also working with a team at Northwestern University on the development of Manipulation of Light in the Nanoworld, an inquiry-based approach to nanotechnology education.
EDUCATION, CREDENTIALS & QUALIFICATIONS
Professional Data: Christopher J. Chiaverina, Physics teacher (retired), New Trier Township High School, Winnetka, IL Education: B. S. (1968) Northern Illinois University; M. S. Ed in Physics (1972) Northern Illinois University; additional graduate work at Northern Illinois University, Iowa State University, Western Illinois University, Florida Institute of Technology;
Professional Experience: Science and Mathematics Teacher, Chicago Public Schools (1968 - 69): Physics and Mathematics Teacher, Forreston High School (1969 - 1971); Physics Teacher, Barrington High School (1971 - 1991); Physics Teacher, New Trier Township High School (1991 - 2002).
Memberships: AAPT, AAPT - Chicago Section, AAPT - Illinois Section, Sigma Pi Sigma, ISTA, Illinois State Physics Project, Physics Northwest
Activities: Co-founder/Co-director, The Science Place Interactive Science Museum (1981 - 1991); Co-developer/Co-chair, physics day at Six Flags Great America (1976 - 1997); Delegate to US/Japan/China Conferences of Physics Education (1989,1991,1993); AAPT Science Education for the Public Committee (1990 - 1993); President, AAPT Chicago Section (1992 - 1993); Visiting Faculty Member, DePaul University's School for New Learning (1992, 1993); Visiting Faculty Member, Physics 150, Northern Illinois University (1996 - 98); Lead Teacher, Department of Energy's High School Honors Program at Fermilab (1993, 1994, 1995); Advisory panel member for NSF-funded projects "Building Blocks of the Universe", "Visual Quantum Mechanics” and "Amusement Park Science Exhibition" (1991 - 1997); Vice President, President Elect, President, Past President, AAPT (2000 - 2004); Editorial Board, The Physics Teacher (1985 - 1988, 1992 - 1995, 2004 - 2007); Editor, The Physics Teacher magazine “Little Gems” column (2004 – present).
Honors and Grants: AAPT Illinois Section Outstanding Physics Teacher Award (1982 - 83); Co-recipient of Illinois Educational Improvement Grant (1983, 1988); Recipient of AAPT Grant for Innovative Teaching (1982, 1986, 1990, 1992); Governor's Master Teacher Award (1984); John Rush Memorial Physics Teaching Award (1985); Co-recipient of Optical Society of America Grant (1987); Co-recipient of Acoustical Society of America Grant (1988); Invited speaker, International Conference on Physics Teachers' Education, Dortmund, Germany (1992); Subject of New York Times article "Thrills and Chills of Physics " (1992); Subject of PBS television's New Explorers program "Rock and Roll Physics" (1992) and New Explorers book (1995); Subject of Discovery Channel's Beyond 2000 program (1993); Recipient of Toyota TAPESTRY Grant (1996); American Association of Physics Teachers Award for Excellence in Pre-College Physics Teaching (1997); Induction into OMNI Youth Services OMNI Society of LifeModels (1998); Recipient of GTE GIFT grant (1999); American Physical Society’s Distinguished Physics Teacher (1999); Northern Illinois University Distinguished Alumnus (1999); RadioShack National Teacher Award recipient (2000): Co-recipient of American Institute of Physics Meggers Award Grant (2000); Invited speaker, International Conference on Physics Education, Korea (2001) Invited speaker, GIREP international physics education conference, Slovenia (2005).
Publications: Books and Online Educational Materials : Contributor, Essays on Creativity and Science (1986), Hawaii Council of Teachers of English, Honolulu; Co-author, Force and Motion (1986), Technical Publishing Company; Contributor, Interactive Science and Technology Centres (1987), Science Projects Publishing; Co-author, HBJ General Science (1989), Harcourt Brace Jovanovich; Contributing author, Active Physics Curriculum Project (1991 - 1996), AAPT; Co-author, Light Physics (1999), Springer-Verlag; Teaching Light and Color (2001), American Association of Physics Teachers; Author, Materials World Modules (2003 – present); Author, CoolStuff quarterly online science education newsletter (2002 – present).
Articles in The Physics Teacher Magazine: "A Physics Teacher's Guide to Europe," (1979); "People Demos," (1983); "An Interactive Soap Film Apparatus," (1988); "Reviewing the Troops," (1989); "Catch the Wave," (1990); "A Laser Spirograph for Under $3," (1990); "The Connections Project: Art, Physics, and Mathematics," (1997); “Festive Fractals” (1999); “Getting Families Involved in Physics” (2001); “The Dr. Is In” (2003); “The Simplest Motor?” (2004); Textbook reviews: five in The Physics Teacher (1986, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999,) and three in Science Books and Films (1986, 1988, 1989).
