Winning the Presidential Award was instrumental in opening a variety of professional opportunities for me. It enabled me to share my love of physics education beyond the classroom, including with teachers in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. It also directly led to a twenty-plus year collaboration with a non-profit organization to develop K-12 classroom materials focusing on the practical, and potentially life-saving, application of the science of car crashes.

T. Griffith Jones, III Gainesville, FL | 7-12, Science, 1998

T. Griffith “Griff” Jones is an emeritus clinical associate professor of science education in the College of Education at the University of Florida. While a professor at the University of Florida (UF), Griff held joint appointments as a Faculty Fellow with UF’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and as an Affiliate Faculty member for the College of Engineering’s Transportation Institute. With three decades of experience teaching all science subjects to K-12 students, college students, and teachers, Griff specializes in designing effective inquiry-based, interdisciplinary science education experiences. As a high school physics teacher from 1987 to 2007 at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, Griff developed successful physics and elementary science programs. In addition, through his work with the science education program at UF’s College of Education, he developed effective science methods courses and had an extensive record of successful grant activity. He has authored numerous nationally-disseminated science textbooks, curriculum packages, and educational media products. Griff’s most well-known professional activity since receipt of the award has been with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (an independent, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization). As part of his work with this organization, he developed multiple award-winning educational films and an innovative website focusing on the practical, and potentially lifesaving, applications of STEM in car crashes. Griff earned his B.S. in biology from Florida Southern College and his M.Ed., Ed.S., and Ph.D. in science education from the University of Florida. He is certified in physics education, biology education, and middle grades general science.

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