A Leicestershire science teacher and Lead Educator for the National Space Centre’s Space Academy, Judith Green, has been awarded a Royal Society Hauksbee Award last week at a special reception held at the Society’s London headquarters. The Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science, created the new awards to recognise the unsung heroes of science labs, research institutions and schools who work to support the UK science base
The awards are being made as part of the Society’s 350th Anniversary celebrations this year. Ten recipients each received a Royal Society engraved bronze medal, scroll and £500 at the ceremony last week.
Judith, who teaches at The Robert Smyth School in Market Harborough, has been working as an advanced skills science teacher for eight years after leaving industry for education nearly 20 years ago. “It’s a move I’ve never regretted, I love science and I have a real passion for teaching. It’s wonderful to be able to pass on my enthusiasm for the subject to others.”
Judith’s outreach work across the county engages students and teachers in fun and intellectually demanding activities to deepen their understanding of science, particularly physics. More recently she has worked with the Space Academy at the National Space Centre as a lead educator, having just returned from presenting a Teacher Masterclass at NASA’s 2009 Space Exploration Conference as Johnson Space Centre in Texas.
The awards recognise and reward those in roles that support UK science, technology, engineering and maths for their excellent work and achievements.
Anu Ojha, Director of Education and Space Communications at the National Space Centre said; “Judith’s winning of this prestigious award is richly deserved. Her outstanding teaching skills and work on the Space Academy profile thus far have wowed students and teachers alike across the East Midlands, UK and even Internationally.”
Professor Carol Robinson FRS, who chaired the Hauksbee Awards Committee which selected the recipients said: “Many laboratories and science classrooms could not operate but for the dedication and skill of individuals working behind the scenes. These people are devoted to their fields and inspire all around them. The Hauksbee Awards are a way for us to take note of the excellent work being done by these individuals and thank them for their invaluable contribution to the sciences.”