Grad earns award and National Geographic expedition
In recognition of his commitment to geographic education, Nipissing almnus Joe Grabowski (BEd’10), a science and math teacher in Guelph, has been selected as one of the 2016 Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellows.
Grabowski is one of 35 highly respected educators from the United States and Canada to receive this honour. Every year, K-12 educators apply for this professional development opportunity that allows them to bring immersive geographic learning experiences back to their classrooms and communities.
Later this year, Grabowski will embark on a 10-day Lindblad voyage aboard National Geographic Endeavour to the Galapagos for a one-of-a-kind field experience, accompanied by Lindblad-National Geographic expedition experts. The expedition will provide him with new and exciting knowledge to bring back to his school and community.
Before the voyage, Grabowski will travel to National Geographic Society’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. this April, to participate in hands-on workshops covering photography and outreach, and will have the opportunity to meet Lindblad Expeditions’ naturalists and to network with previous years’ Fellows.
Grabowski was selected in recognition for the program that he recently launched based on his classrooms activities.
“Over the last two years my classes have been on a mission to connect with scientists, adventurers and conservationists from around the world. Joining an expedition on an active volcano in Italy, hanging out in an Adele penguin colony in Antarctica and chatting with Fabien Cousteau from the bottom of the ocean barely scratches the surface of our connections, said Grabowski. “In September I launched a nonprofit called Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants with a goal to bring science, adventure and conservation into classrooms around the world through guest speakers and virtual field trips. Since September I've run over 80 Google Hangouts with some pretty awesome scientists, adventurers and explorers from all over the world and connected with thousands of students across North America.”
You can check the website for Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants here.
You might remember Graboviski fromthis 2015 NU News article, detailing his Educator of the Week award from National Geographic.
Grabovski is the second Nipissing graduate in as many years to earn a Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow. Alumna Shannon Bomben earned the same honour last year.
This year marks the tenth year of the Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program, established to honour former National Geographic Society Chairman Gilbert M. Grosvenor’s lifetime commitment to geographic education. The program began with two Fellows in 2007 and has grown each year. The expeditions were donated in perpetuity to the National Geographic Society by Sven-Olof Lindblad and Lindblad Expeditions to mark Grosvenor’s 75th birthday in 2006 and to honour his service in enhancing and improving geographic education across the United States.
About National Geographic Society
With a mission to inspire, illuminate and teach, the National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. The member-supported Society, which believes in the power of science, exploration and storytelling to change the world, reaches over 600 million people each month through its media platforms, products and events. National Geographic has funded more than 11,000 research, conservation and exploration projects, and its education programs promote geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.org.
About Lindblad Expeditions
Lindblad Expeditions, specialists in expedition travel, works in alliance with the National Geographic Society to inspire people to explore and care about the planet. As pioneers of global exploration, their collaboration in research, technology and conservation provides extraordinary travel experiences and disseminates geographic knowledge around the globe. Their educationally oriented voyages to all seven continents allow guests to interact with and learn from leading scientists, naturalists and researchers while discovering stunning natural environments, above and below the sea, through state-of-the-art exploration tools. Destinations include the Galápagos, Antarctica, the Arctic, Baja California, Alaska, Costa Rica & Panama, the Amazon, Southeast Asia & Pacific, Africa, Indian Ocean, Europe, Mediterranean and beyond.