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Lawrence D. Woolf is a physicist at General Atomics. He received a Ph.D. in low temperature condensed matter physics from the University of California, San Diego in 1980 and an AB in physics from Rutgers College in 1975. After a post-doctoral appointment at the Exxon Corporate Research Science Laboratory, Woolf joined General Atomics (GA) in 1982. At GA, he has been involved in the development of thin film optical materials, high temperature ceramic superconducting wire, electromagnetic turbulence control components, nuclear thermionic energy conversion, high temperature electrical insulators, thermophotovoltaic energy conversion, electronic properties of graphite fibers, and neutron transmutation doping of silicon. He has been project manager and lead scientist for over 25 programs involving the design, development, and production of a variety of advanced materials. He currently manages a number of programs and is Principal Optical Scientist in the Advanced Technologies Group He is the author or co-author of 66 scientific publications in the area of materials physics and energy conversion systems, has given 36 scientific presentations, and holds 20 patents. He is a member of the American Physical Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Sigma Xi. Woolf has been a member of 5 Department of Energy review panels, twice as chairman, and 10 National Science Foundation review panels. He chaired the 2002 Committee of Visitors (COV) Review Panel for the NSF Instructional Materials Development Program, served on the 2005 COV panel, and the 2005 Expert Panel on the Future of the NSF Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education. He is currently a member of the NSF Materials Education Workshop Steering Committee. Woolf was part of the team that developed a forthcoming brochure on Scientists in Science Education for NIH and is on the organizing committee for the NSRC/SDSA 2008 Changing the Course of Science Education: National Symposium for Scientists and Engineers He has performed site reviews on behalf of NSF for the following programs: GEMS Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading; SRI Nanosense Program (2005-2007); and chaired the site review of the National Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering. Woolf served on the executive committee of the American Physical Society Forum on Education (FEd) from 2004-2007 as a Member at Large. He co-edited the Summer 2006 and edited the Summer 2007 FEd newsletters and co-organized 2 FEd sponsored invited sessions on undergraduate materials physics education for the APS March meeting. He received the 2004 San Diego Science Alliance Partner of the Year Award and is a member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Science Alliance and the President and Chairman of the Board of the General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation. Woolf is actively involved in education outreach activities at GA for grades K-12. He developed the following education modules: It's a Colorful Life; Seeing the Light: The Physics and Materials Science of the Incandescent Light Bulb; Line of Resistance: Using a Graphite Pencil to Explore the Electrical Properties of Materials and Circuits; Staying Alive: The Physics, Mathematics, and Engineering of Safe Driving; and The Seasons: A Tale of the Sun, Earth, and Two Cities. He was one of the co-developers of the Exploration of Materials Science and Chromatics: The Science of Color modules. He has also developed education modules on electric energy bills, the Color of Ice, and the scientific research paper. He has given over 100 workshops to teachers and students and is one of the developers of the PISCES project to involve college science students and scientists to improve science instruction in elementary school classrooms. Woolf has developed numerous educational materials and posters, particularly in the area of color theory. He was curriculum advisor/technical reviewer for the Lawrence Hall of Science FOSS middle school modules on Electronics as well as Force and Motion. Woolf also is a curriculum advisor/technical reviewer for the BSCS Science: An Inquiry Approach high school program. He is on the advisory board of Across the Sciences, a multimedia professional development series for high school teachers. Woolf has also played an active role in trying to improve California state science education standards, framework, and instructional materials selection. He created and updates this GA Sciences Education Foundation web site and can be reached at Larry.Woolf@gat.com. |
