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"Beyond the Standards: Science, Meaning, and the Power of Asking Why"

 

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Join acclaimed physicist and author Alan Lightman for a conversation that invites educators to teach science not just as content, but as a way to explore meaning, wonder, and curiosity. Drawing from his new PBS series and the accompanying free classroom lessons from MIT, Lightman shares how teachers can spark awe and invite students to ask big questions about the universe—and their place in it. Perfect for new and veteran teachers alike, this session offers ready-to-use tools that elevate learning beyond standards and into significance. Because in the end, students won’t just remember the facts—they’ll remember how you made science feel meaningful.

Featuring

Alan Lightman - Searching: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science

Alan Lightman is an American physicist and writer. PhD in physics, Caltech. He has served on the faculties of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was the first person at MIT to receive dual faculty appointments in science and in the humanities. He is currently professor of the practice of the humanities at MIT. Lightman is the recipient of six honorary doctoral degrees. He is the author of numerous books, both nonfiction and fiction, including Einstein’s Dreams, an international bestseller, and The Diagnosis, a finalist for the National Book Award in fiction. His essays concern the intersection of science, culture, philosophy, and theology. His most recent nonfiction books are Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine, The Transcendental Brain: Spirituality in the Age of Science, and The Miraculous from the Material. Lightman is the host of the public television series “SEARCHING: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science,” based on his books. In 2005, Lightman founded Harpswell, a nonprofit organization devoted to empowering young women leaders in Southeast Asia. In August 2023, Lightman was appointed a member of the United Nation’s Scientific Advisory Board, reporting directly to the Secretary General. 

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