From the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development website.
Adam Beehler
Adam Beehler, the Department of Physics & Astronomy's Lecture Demonstration Specialist, has been awarded the 2016 Utah Governor's Medal for Science and Technology in the category of Higher Education.
Adam is being recognized for his contributions to Higher Education as the university's own "Bill Nye", sharing his passion for physics with thousands of Utahns!
“The medal recipients are true leaders in innovation, serving as educators, mentors and influencers statewide,” State Gov. Gary Herbert said. “Innovation drives Utah’s thriving economy and unmatched quality of life. I commend the winners for excellence in their fields and for their important work, which will benefit Utah residents for generations.”
Adam Beehler's Award Bio
Adam Beehler’s preferred title of “phyzard” was dubbed by his daughter, but his official designation is lecture demonstration specialist for the University of Utah Department of Physics and Astronomy. With more than 20 years of experience in physics teaching, Adam is passionate about community engagement and outreach. He has reached more than 65,000 Utah students and members of the general public through his volunteer lecture-demonstration presentations and outreach activities at elementary and middle schools. Adam’s demonstration activities have been published as a national best practice and have been adopted by many peer institutions due to their effectiveness for increasing student learning. Adam loves physics and loves sharing it. Some would say that getting into the details of science to explain something as beautiful as a rainbow would dampen the experience. For Adam, understanding the science behind a rainbow opens his eyes even more to its beauty.
The Utah Governor's Medal for Science and Technology is awarded to residents and companies who have provided distinguished service or made significant contributions to Utah’s advanced scientific and technological knowledge, education and industry.
Click here to learn more and to see past recipients.
Press release available here.
