Featuring Jessica Leiken
Chair, Science Department, Dwight-Englewood School
All D-E families, faculty/staff, alumni and friends are invited to enjoy an evening conversation on the principles of physics and the surprising, intriguing ways in which it influences our lives.
Jessica Leiken is the chair of the Science Department at Dwight-Englewood and teaches physics at the introductory and AP level. Jessica came to D-E in 2007, having taught for two years at the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans followed by 10 years at the Dalton School in Manhattan. She has a master’s degree in physics from Wesleyan University and a bachelor’s degree in physics and astronomy from Vassar College.
Jessica’s commitment to physics education goes back to her time in graduate school, where her master’s thesis, “Learning Mathematica through Waves and Oscillations”, focused on teaching college students to use technology by employing their fundamental understanding of waves to tackle research level problems.
Jessica has dedicated her career to making physics accessible to all students and is a strong advocate for girls in areas of science and math. She will be speaking about her own experiences both as a student and a teacher, and discussing how to create a safe environment for students to tackle an intimidating subject. She will also try to dispel some myths about why physics is “hard” and how, through real world examples, analogies and games, it can be fun for even the most math-phobic students.
The lecture is the first of a new annual series of events that will take place in the beautiful new $20-million Hajjar STEM Center. To learn more about the Hajjar STEM Center, visit www.d-etoday.org/stem.
