KATHERINE L. SHIREY
Physics Teacher
Washington-Lee High School
Arlington, Virginia

Katherine Shirey grew up loving physics and art and, as an undergraduate, she continually combined her two passions. She attempted to explain physics and physical phenomenon through large-scale kinetic sculptures and installations. And in her physics classes, she examined the process of smelting bronze and the rotational acceleration of a potter’s wheel. Katey graduated from the University of Virginia with bachelor’s degrees in both physics and studio art, and a minor in art history.

Upon graduation, Katey was awarded the Fifth-Year Aunspaugh Fellowship in the McIntire Department of Art at UVA and worked as an artist and art teacher. During this time, she realized that she wanted her students to learn more about their world through their art, and that sculpture class was not the place to teach it. She returned to school, earning her Masters of Teaching in Physics Education from University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education. “What I really like about art and physics is that both subjects have the potential for infinite possible outcomes, thus encouraging the artist or physicist to take varied approaches supported by strong reasoning.  By teaching how abstract thought and creative problem-solving can yield positive results, students will learn how to better understand physics and their world.”

In 2009, Katey traveled to Alaska to participate in PolarTrec training in support of Project IceCube, the world’s largest telescope built to detect neutrino particles and the biggest research project ever attempted in Antarctica. The training provided Katey and three other KSTF Fellows an opportunity to network with teachers and scientists involved in polar research and become part of the community of people bringing this research to high school science classrooms. Katey has been selected to travel to the South Pole with IceCube in the winter of 2010.