After graduating summa cum laude from the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT class of 1970, physics) he earned his Ph.D.
in solid-state physics from MIT in 1974.
As a tenured professor of physics at Oakland University,
1974 through 1986, he taught a wide range of science courses,
including physics, astronomy, geology, electronics, computer
programming, and meteorology.
In 1986, Paul came to the Exploratorium Teacher Institute
and began his exhibit-based explorations in science. He became
the co-director of the Teacher Institute in 1990 and the founding
director of the Center for Teaching and Learning in 1992.
Since 1997 he has been a senior staff scientist at the Exploratorium.
In 2002 he was awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award by
the American Association of Physics teachers. In 2003 he was
given the NSTA's Faraday Award for excellence as a science
communicator.
As an author, Paul has written over three dozen articles
for Exploring magazine. For the Exploratorium Press
he has co-authored the Exploratorium Science Snackbook,
and the book Square Wheels with Don Rathjen, and
he was the scientist for the Exploratopia, which
was chosen by the AAAS as the best children's science book
of 2007. For Klutz Press he has co-written the Explorabook
which has sold over a million copies, and also the Book
of Magnetic Magic, the Zap book, and Glove
Compartment Science. For Chronicle Press with Pat Murphy
he has written: The Color of Nature and Traces of Time.
Paul is a regular science columnist for the Magazine of
Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Paul has created a web site with over 600 pages describing
science explorations and outdoor adventures. www.exo.net/~pauld.
About
Paul Doherty