Rebecca M. Gentry
Herndon High School
Herndon, VA 20170
Dear National Science Foundation,
My name is Rebecca Gentry and I teach Earth Science and Physics at Herndon High School in Fairfax County, VA. I am participating in the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program. I have been working at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institute. I am writing to express my gratitude in providing the funding for the RET program.
While at the Smithsonian, I have been doing research with Dr. Mike Wise in the Mineral Sciences Division. I have been studying the crystallization history of pegmatites from the Erongo Mountains in Namibia, Africa.
This experience has not only provided me with a rare opportunity to work with an elite group of scientists, but it has provided me with a wealth of ideas to take back to my classroom. I look forward to sharing my ideas with my colleagues and students as well as incorporating them into my curriculum.
Again, I want to thank the National Science Foundation for providing me with this opportunity.
Sincerely,
Rebecca M. Gentry
Research Experience for Teachers, 2002