Sweeney’s Resume

Randy Sweeney
Science Educator
Los Angeles, California
email: sweeneyrandy@gmail.com

FORMAL EDUCATION
Pomona College, Claremont, California, B.A. (Zoology), 1962
University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii (Marine Ecology), 1962-63
Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Peace Corps Training), 1963
University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, M.Ed. (Science Education), 1967

CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (1963, 1967)
University of California at Los Angeles, 1983-2003
NSF Sponsored Summer Institutes, 1983-1991
Internet-Based Professional Development, 1993-present
Owner of Blog: sciencewonder.org, 2012-present

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
– Pleebo Public Schools (Peace Corps Assignment), Liberia, West Africa:
Science Teacher, 1963-65
– Special Education Department, University of Illinois:
Science to “Culturally Deprived Preschooler”, 1966
– Marshall High School, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, Illinois:
Biology, Chemistry and Physics, 1967-73
– Project SAIL (“School with Adventure Inspires Leadership”):
Sailing and Leadership Training, 1976 (currently suspended due to insurance issues)
– Open Education Exchange, Oakland, California:
Sailing and Leadership Training, 1977
– Borel Middle School, San Mateo City Schools, San Mateo, California:
7th Grade Science, 1978
– Jordan High School, L.A.U.S.D., Los Angeles, California:
Biology, Physiology, Chemistry, Physics, Integrated Science, Computer Programming, Algebra II, Trig/Math Analysis, 1979-1995
– Foshay Learning Center, Information Technology Academy, Los Angeles, CA:
Information Technology Teacher, 1995-96
– Jefferson High School, L.A.U.S.D., Los Angeles, California:
Biology, Marine Biology, Chemistry, ICS, Teacher, 1996-2012

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
– Nominee, The National Academies Teacher Advisory Counsel, 5/2012
– Blog Development (sciencewonder.org) using WordPress Software, 6/2012 – present
– Member, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (1968-2008)
– Member, Computer Using Educators (CUE) (1980-2000)
– Member, Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) (1983-1996)
– Teacher Trainer, Telecomputing and Internet Access, LAUSDNet and LALCNet, 1995-1998
– Support Director, Southern California House, Teach for America, 1991-94
– Co-Instructor, Teacher Retraining Institute, Human Organism Course, CSUDH, Summer, 1990
– Co-Presentor, CSULB Mini Course: Heat and Temperature, Dr. Alok Kumar, Scientist, Course Lecturer, 1990
– Facilitator, Presentor, Author, UCLA/TFED sponsored Project HIGHRISE (A summer program for science and math teachers of disabled students), 1988-91
– Facilitator, Presenter, UCLA Project RISE (NSF program for Science Teacher’s Professional Development), 1983-88
– Presenter, A.P. Workshops, College Board, 1983-84
– Presenter, NSTA Annual National Conventions, 1984, 1986, 1992 and 1994

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
– Consultant/Workshop Presentor, Los Angeles Educational Partnership (LAEP) Target Science
– Development of Science-Mathematics curriculum projects (K-12) and Electronic Bulletin (1984-2000)
– Consultant/Workshop Presentor, VISTANOMICS, Inc. School applications for ECO-BADGE, an ozone pollutant monitoring system, 1992-98
– Member, Ozone Strand, TERC’s Global Laboratory Project 1994-96
– Consultant, Biology Course Development, Wasatch Education Systems Inc. A company
developing software to teach science courses on a computer system with interactive
videodisk. Ruth VonBlum Biology course Director. 1984-86
– Consultant/Workshop Presentor, HRM Software (Microcomputer Based Labs), 1987-1991

GRANDPARENT CARE PROVIDING FOR GRANDCHILDREN (2012-2020) 

My daughter Lora and son-in-law Phil began work on their Post Docs in Neuroscience at the Salk Institute and UCSD when my granddaughter Anna was 1½ years old. I began care supporting Anna in San Diego Mondays through Fridays in July, 2012 after retiring from science teaching in 2012. This care-providing continued through 2020 (Ben my grandson was born 2015) until both Lora and Phil recently got science research jobs in Austria and their family moved to Vienna.  

TEACHING CREDENTIAL
Standard California Teaching Credential in Life Sciences (Biology), Physical Sciences, Chemistry, Art and Fine Arts (issued for Life)