Doug Anderson of Brentwood High School in Nashville, Tennessee, was the 2016 recipient of the National Association of Biology Teachers’ NABT Ecology/Environmental Science Teaching Award. This award, sponsored by Vernier, was presented at the 2016 NABT Professional Development Conference in Denver, Colorado. Mr. Anderson is an AP Environmental Science teacher who uses a place-based approach in his environmental science course. Each month, his students conduct field work in local forests or streams. Field work includes freshwater macroinvertebrate testing, habitat inventories, and service work such as restoring riparian buffer zones and removal of exotic invasive species. In addition to teaching Environmental Science, Mr. Anderson designed and implemented his high school’s ecology and AP Environmental Science programs and served as a district leader in the development of the Ecology and Environmental Science curriculum for his school district.

This award is given to a secondary school teacher who has successfully developed and demonstrated an innovative approach in the teaching of ecology/environmental science and has carried his/her commitment to the environment into the community. Our sponsorship of this award includes $500 toward travel to the NABT Conference and $1,000 of Vernier equipment. The recipient also receives a recognition plaque and one year of complimentary membership to NABT.

The application deadline for the Ecology/Environmental Science Teaching Award is March 15 of each year. While it has just passed for 2017, start thinking about applying in 2018. Applications will be available after the NABT Conference in November. For more information, visit www.nabt.org