Ty Robinson, an award-winning science educator who teaches geology and earth sciences at Utah’s Provo High School, has been named AAPG’s 2009 Earth Science Teacher of the Year.
Robinson, who last year was president of the Utah Science Teachers Association, also works with television station WGBH in Boston, teaching workshops for its Teacher’s Domain Internet program.
His award as AAPG’s Teacher of the Year is $5,000, a prize funded annually by the AAPG Foundation. The money will be split, with $2,500 designated for educational use at Provo High School under Robinson’s supervision and the other half for his personal use.
He also will receive an all-expense paid trip to the AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition in Denver June 7-10, where he will be presented with his award at the All-Convention Luncheon.
A native of Provo, Robinson has taught in the public school system for 21 years, including 10 years at Spanish Fork Junior High and the past eight years at Provo High, where he currently teaches geology, earth system science, Advanced Placement environmental science and an academic unified studies course.
He also taught three years at Brigham Young University as an adjunct professor in the David O. McKay School of Education.
In addition to his teaching duties Robinson has been involved with writing curriculum and state criterion tests for Utah.
He graduated from Brigham Young University with his bachelor’s in earth space science in 1987, and received his master’s degree in geology from BYU in 2002.
Robinson previously has been honored with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching; the Huntsman Awards for Excellence in Education; the Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology; Outstanding Earth Science Teacher; and Utah Water Educator of the Year.
An interview with Robinson will appear in a future EXPLORER.