Adam Smith

Adam Smith

Fellowship Placement: National Science Foundation
Hometown: Hood River, OR

Adam Smith came to his Fellowship appointment as a middle school teacher from Hood River Middle School in Hood River, Oregon. Adam served his Fellowship in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL).

When not off on some adventure or in his garden, Adam teaches middle school math, science, language arts, and ukulele. His background as a wilderness guide and informal science educator cultivated an interest in bringing the wonders of the world to his students through hands-on, project-based learning. Adam has shared his passion for opening up the world of science to his students by helping to run his district’s Outdoor School and by creating a variety of themed classes that promote teacher collaboration and fuel student inquiry through diverse projects ranging from engineering a successful weather balloon launch to creating stop motion animations.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Nature and Culture from University of California at Davis, Adam received a Masters of Science Teaching from Portland State University. In 2014, Adam was honored as a National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow and went on an expedition to Svalbard, Norway. He was also a participant in the Fulbright Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development in 2012.