MMSA Title: Operations Director & STEM Education Specialist
Hometown: Casco, ME
Education: Bachelor of Science (Honors) – Double major in Geology, University of Sydney. Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) (MScEd equivalent) Sydney College of Advanced Education.
Something you’re proud of at MMSA: Establishing MMSA-wide systems to help communications and operations.
What is your teaching/learning philosophy: Field-based learning is the key to understanding.
STEM passion area: Earth Science – because you need to understand how our dynamic planet works to appreciate how special it is.
What do you like most about your role at MMSA: Helping teachers to provide field-based experiences for their students.
Favorite STEM-related memory: Sitting next to active lava flows in Hawaii.
What did you do before you worked at MMSA: I was the Senior Director for Education and Outreach at the Geological Society of America.
What do you like to do in your free time: Visit volcanoes.
What memory from your childhood would you like to share that exemplifies why you do the STEM education related work that you do: Visiting the coastal rock platforms of Australia with my family – they were all surfing and I was looking for fossils and minerals.
Gary’s Bio: Gary joined MMSA in December 2015. Gary is a passionate, enthusiastic and dedicated Earth science communicator who holds an honors degree in Science and a Graduate Diploma of Education (Masters of Education US equivalent) from the University of Sydney. Lewis has been a classroom teacher in rural schools and developed and run education programs in Australia and the USA. Prior to joining MMSA in December 2015, Lewis was the Communications Director at Geoscience Australia, then the Senior Director for Education & Outreach for the Geological Society of America. He is the past Chair of the International Union of Geological Sciences Commission for Geoscience Education and Technology Transfer and active within the International Geoscience Education Organisation. At MMSA, Lewis is the Director of Operations/Communications Coordinator as well as serving as the STEM Education Specialist on the STEMports and WeatherBlur projects.
Lewis is the author of over 70+ teacher resources and books covering a wide range of Earth science topics. Lewis firmly believes that teaching is enhanced by taking teachers into the field so they can experience real work examples of the concepts they teach. He leads teachers on trips to Hawaii and beyond to provide them with those experiences. Lewis lives with his wife and children on a small farm in Casco, Maine.
Phone: (207) 626 3230 x103
Email: all emails are first initial last name at mmsa.org
Projects:
WeatherBlur
STEMports
Publications:
Lewis, G.B.,2019, My Awesome Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals. Monograph. Rockridge Press.
Lewis, G.B., 2016, Discover the Wonders of Hawaiian Volcanoes: A site-by-site guide to the Big Island. Monograph. Carte Deim Press.
Wysession M.E., Lewis G.B., et al., 2012, Developing and Applying a Set of Earth Science Literacy Principles, JOURNAL OF GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION v 60, 95–99 (2012). Earth Science Literacy Principles
Lewis, G.B., McLelland and C.V., Alpha, T.R., 2003, Explore Volcanoes (Teacher resources on CD ROM). Geological Society of America, ISBN 0-8137-7600-7.
Lewis, G.B., 2003, Explore Silicate Minerals (Faculty teaching resources on CD ROM). Geological Society of America, ISBN 0-8137-7604-X.
Lewis, G.B., 2003, Explore Cross Sections (Faculty teaching resources on CD ROM). Geological Society of America, ISBN 0-8137-7605-8.
Lewis, G.B., 2001, Communicate or Die – the Future of Geoscience, Geological Society of New Zealand, Conference Abstracts, 2001
Lewis, G.B., 2000, AGSO’s Teacher Resource Kits and Training Sessions, Third International Geoscience Education Conference Proceedings, AGSO Record 1999/49
Lewis G.B., 1996, Making geoscience exciting, relevant and teachable – AGSO geoscience education. Geoscience for the Community. 13th Australian Geological Convention, Canberra, 19-23 February, 1996. Geological Society of Australia. Abstracts. 1996; 41:248.
Lewis, G.B.and Gunther, J.M, 1996, Mt Todd Map Kit – Introduction to Geological Maps, Australian Geological Survey Organisation Record 1996/10.
McQueen K.G., Mayer W., Munson T.J., Perkin DJ, Lewis G.B., 1993, A geoscience education liaison network in the Australian Capital Territory. Journal of Geological Education. 1993; 41(1):32-4.
