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Celebrating Year One at the Cal Academy of Sciences!

Posted on February 15, 2013 by

Me in my new Cal Academy vestTwelve months ago, I started working at the world's only "natural history museum, planetarium and aquarium — all under one living room," the California Academy of Sciences.

It's been an incredible first year, literally a dream come true. Some highlights from my work so far as the Programs Manager in the Digital Learning Department:

  • Worked with a team of high schoolers to design and program an iPad game on earthquake safety that is featured in one of our major exhibits at the Academy
  • Led a science documentary program resulting in three youth-produced videos that were broadcast on the Academy's website, YouTube channel and podcasts.
  • Facilitating a group of teens who are creating their own digital dome astronomy shows
  • Led dozen middle schoolers to design their own mobile scavenger hunts at Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County

Of course, the biggest perk is the kids I get to work with. (That's a sentence I wouldn't have been able to write five years ago.)  


Our teens bring a raw enthusiasm for science, a curiousity about the world, and a williness to try new things that makes them a pleasure to work with.  Our challenge is often keeping up with them as they investigate, question, debate, and create in our programs.  It's a great problem to have.
PYS students playing EA 3

Beyond the specific projects I get to be involved in, the Cal Academy is a stimulating and fun place to work.  I get to collaborate with professional science educators, exhibit designers, video producers, and scientists of every stripe each day.  My digital learning team — Elizabeth, Puja, Christine, and Matt — are fantastic partners and teammates and just generally awesome people.

And I get the satisfaction of knowing that I work for a major science institution that is trying to make a difference in the world by "exploring, explaining and protecting" the earth.

In short, I feel very blessed and excited about year two at the Cal Academy!

3 thoughts on “Celebrating Year One at the Cal Academy of Sciences!”

  1. Mmmooshme says:
    February 15, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    Congratulations Rik! How exciting to read it all in one place.

    Reply
  2. Rafi says:
    February 15, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    Congrats Rik! And who knew that you’d ever become so enamored with working with real life kids! ; )

    Reply
  3. rikomatic says:
    February 16, 2013 at 10:27 am

    thanks guys. Couldn’t have made it this far without your guidance and inspiration!

    Reply

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