Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation

2008 Life Sciences Awards

2008 Life Sciences Educator's Award

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are honored to have awarded the achievements of the 2008 $10,000 Life Sciences Educator's Award Columbus Scholar:

Paul Cammer, Ph.D.

Director, Neurobiology Research Laboratory
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Alexandria, Virginia

In 2007 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) in Fairfax County, Virginia, was ranked as the number one school in the Nation by U.S. News and World Report. This distinction is due in large part, to the innovative teaching methods implemented by the faculty. Students at TJ are high-achievers, and the teachers must put forth special efforts to keep their students challenged. Dr. Cammer is one such educator. When Dr. Cammer was teaching freshmen, he required each of them to prepare a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation to the class as if the student were the research scientist at a conference of his or her peers. Many of these students have returned from college to tell Dr. Cammer that particular project was the �single most difficult yet most useful task they performed in high school.

He now teaches mostly upperclassmen, who he continues to challenge far beyond what they think is possible. In addition to Advanced Placement Biology, Dr. Cammer teaches Senior Research in Neuroscience, as well as classes in Neurobiology, Physiology and the Arts, and Bionanotechnology at TJ.

Dr. Cammer received a B.A. in Biology at San Jose State University, and a M.S. in Biochemical Toxicology and Ph.D. in Biochemical Toxicology at Purdue University.

After a career in government and private industry, Dr. Cammer found his passion in teaching. He has been a biology teacher at TJ since 1996.

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation is honored to have had the assistance of the following distinguished individuals serving on the 2008 Life Sciences Awards Evaluation Committee:

Russel A. Bantham, Esquire
Dr. Diane Bunce
Department of Chemistry
The Catholic University of America
Dr. Patrick Clemins
Division of Biological Infrastructure
National Science Foundation
Dr. Edward Eisenstein
Director & Associate Professor
University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute
Dr. Brent Miller
Directorate for Biosciences
National Science Foundation
Dr. Venigalla Rao
Department of Biology
The Catholic University of America
Dr. Reid Schwebach
Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings
National Science Foundation
Dr. Phillip A. Singerman
Senior Vice President
B&D Consulting
Dr. John Trant
Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs
University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute