Carl Johnston

Carl has worked in the field of education for five years, teaching junior science and senior physics at Burnside High School in Christchurch. He is passionate about stimulating student’s curiosity to learn about the physical world around them through the use of relevant and purposeful science experiences.

During his placement, he will be hosted by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in Wellington, working alongside Dr Joanne O’Callaghan and other oceanographers in the marine physics group. He is excited about the opportunity to learn new scientific skills and knowledge and participate in a research voyage to the Hauraki Gulf and beyond. On this multidisciplinary voyage, Carl will work with biogeochemists and oceanographers to understand how physics and biology intertwine in the shelf seas around New Zealand. He will also get to work with NIWA’s new underwater gliders. These gliders are used by scientists to map water properties below the ocean’s surface and enable them to better understand the ‘weather’ of the ocean. Maps of stratification, oxygen, fluorescence, light and turbidity are used to unpick biophysical relationships in the ocean. In addition, Carl will work with scientists at NIWA in the areas of fisheries and geophysical processes such as seismology.

From the school’s perspective, having Carl participate in the Science Teaching Leadership Programme allows him to experience scientific research first hand and bring real scientific experiences back to their students and staff that can be incorporated into teaching. Burnside also hopes to develop links with NIWA so their students can be exposed to current, “real life” science research.

When Carl returns to school, he will be able to use the leadership skills and curriculum knowledge gained from the programme to work with teachers to enhance units of work by including engaging, relevant science with a focus on developing Science Capabilities. The science department’s aim is to engage their students in science and develop students’ knowledge of how scientists work so they can think critically about science and are able to participate in a society where science plays a significant role.