Hi, I’m Anatoliy and I’ve got an idea I’d like to share with you today. On my daughter Iryna’s first day of middle school, I asked who her physics teacher was. As an applied physicist and innovator, I know how a foundation in physics builds proficiency in science and math, unlocks critical thinking skills, and creates a career pathway into an ever-changing, increasingly technological world.
Needless to say, I cared about who Iryna’s first physics teacher would be. Iryna stunned me when she said there was no physics in sixth grade. I went to the school and, for the first time in my life, faced the reality of math and science education in the U.S. I learned that physics in middle school is piecemeal at best, with no more than a few randomly selected topics being covered. What’s more, I learned physics is not mandatory in high school.
That day my eyes opened and I began to understand why US students underperform in math and science, are averse to choosing natural science disciplines (including all types of engineering) in college, and have high attrition rates within those courses.
Throughout my career as a physicist, I’ve lived in many countries and have worked extensively as an educator. During my time in Asia and Europe, I saw how teaching physics early and as its own discipline benefits the students exponentially. It aids in the development of students’ ability to execute critical thinking, establishes a scientific foundation, builds a critical application for math, helps kids to overcome a fear of failure in relation to STEM subjects, and empowers opportunities early on for their aspiration to technical professions. The benefits go beyond the classroom – France, Germany, Japan, and other developed countries overproduce a large amount of the world’s technological talent.
On the contrary, the US is suffering a shortage of engineers and other technical professionals. Often, US companies look outside of our country to fill these positions. There is a clear connection to make between poor math and science scores in the US and our workforce shortage in critical industries. We know that math and science proficiency needs to improve in the US. At the same time, the countries that are succeeding in STEM proficiency and workforce development are the nations with early and extensive physics education.
I want to bring physics back into U.S. classrooms because Iryna and every other child should have a first-rate education. As a teacher myself, I understand that a realistic solution needs to be extremely easy for teachers to implement and engaging for students. That is exactly why Physical Science Research Associates (PhySciRA) was formed and why we’ve created the break-through Physics in a Box program. Physics in a Box is not simply “another STEM solution.” We haven’t invented anything new. Instead, we provide proven solutions from the world’s leading STEM schools and designed a simple program that fits into the American curriculum. The program is 100% hands-on and provides schools and teachers with all the necessary tools, curriculum, and professional development for educators regarding the content and methodology.
We’ve started a movement here! Over the past couple of years, our physics program has been delivered to schools and districts in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Florida. Our overall goal is to see physics being taught as a separate discipline nationwide. Our vision is that it will eventually be introduced in elementary school, taught in middle school, and ultimately be a consistent presence in high school. We believe that this will change the technological workforce climate in the United States and will provide a more promising future for today’s students.
Let’s make the biggest impact together.
Dr. Anatoliy Glushchenko
Physcira – Founder and Inventor of Physics in a Box
